1/17/2023 basketball Edit

Updated Rivals150 Rankings: Indiana Basketball Class of 2023 Signees

Alec Lasley • TheHoosier

Senior Writer

@allasley

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The updated Rivals150 for the class of 2023 were released on Tuesday afternoon.

Indiana's two-man class of Jakai Newton and Gabe Cupps remained in the Rivals150 rankings -- both as four-star guards.

Below is a look at where Newton and Cupps ended up, with scouting notes on both players.

Indiana Signees:

Previous Ranking: No. 64

Current Ranking: No. 63

TheHoosier.com Scouting Notes:

"Newton is a 6-foot-4 guard who can play both on and off of the ball. He has good size and length that allows him to play even bigger than he is. He is best attacking the basket and getting into the lane. He has good athleticism and a very good leaping ability. Newton's shot is effective, but it's used as a secondary or even a third option at this point. He's a strong rebounder on both ends of the floor. Defensively, Newton can be a legit lockdown defender when he wants. He has the length, frame and quickness to guard multiple perimeter positions. Newton missed most of this summer and fall with an injury, but is expected to make his senior season debut on February."

Notable Quotes:

Newton on Indiana's message: "Coach Ya (Yasir Rosemond) tells me I'm there to score and play defense. I'm going to fit just fine as long as I keep working.... Coach really tells me to look at how aggressive the guards and wings are and how they developed to where they pick their spots. Watching it live, watching this year and seeing them play so hard it was fun. Coach going to get IU back on top."

Newton's HS coach Charlemagne Gibbons on Newton: "He has a great wingspan. Probably 6-foot-10 or 6-foot-11 which bodes well defensively... The ability to guard multiple positions. He can guard the point guard and the wings. If you're playing small ball he can guard the 4 on some switches but he's also a really good off the ball shot blocker too. He'll fit into that mold because he can fit into so many things defensively and play the passing lanes. I think that'll help him get on the floor faster, that defensive prowess, as he grows and adjusts offensively."

Newton on Indiana's system and comparisons: "He wants to play fast and have players who can create for themselves and others, and he said I can do that. He didn’t compare me to any of them but he showed me film of former players like Melo (Carmelo Anthony), (Raymond) Felton, JR (Smith) and how I do fit with what they did.”

Previous Ranking: No. 122

Current Ranking: No. 115

TheHoosier.com Scouting Notes:

"Cupps is a 6-foot-2 pass first point guard who has good athleticism and great vision. He is still developing his overall offensive skillset in terms of scoring the ball, but he can get into the lane at will and is a very crafty player all around the court. Super intelligent player for his age and has good pace and steadiness needed as a point guard. His best tool is making winning plays and having an extremely high IQ. He is a point guard who just has a tremendous feel for the flow of the game."

Notable Quotes:

Cupps during his previous visits to IU: "He (Coach Woodson) sees the point guard as running the team. He’s talked to me a lot about just being able to make good decisions and run the team.He has shown me clips of his New York (Knicks) teams playing the way he wants then he shows a clip of me doing the same thing. It was cool... He showed me clips of Jason Kidd and Raymond Felton mostly. Also a little guard named Pablo Prigioni."

Cupps on his game: "Gritty and skilled I think is how I would describe it. I’ll do whatever it takes to win. I don’t turn the ball over. I can shoot it well. I get myself and others open shots.I'm just a competitor. I love to compete, basketball's just how I do it. Obviously I'm skilled, but at the end of the day I'm just going to compete my ass off."

Cupps on his development: "I'm trying to see what I need to be able to move to the next level. I think finishing around the rim is big for me, attacking guys off the dribble, reading ball screens."