Busting Brackets
Fansided

Indiana Basketball: 2023-24 season preview for the Hoosiers

By Jerran Anderson

Mar 19, 2023; Albany, NY, USA; Indiana Hoosiers guard Anthony Leal (3) reacts to a play on the court against the Miami Hurricanes during the second half at MVP Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 19, 2023; Albany, NY, USA; Indiana Hoosiers guard Anthony Leal (3) reacts to a play on the court against the Miami Hurricanes during the second half at MVP Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 5
Next
Indiana’s Mackenzie Mgbako is announced during Hoosier Hysteria at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Friday, October 20, 2023.
Indiana’s Mackenzie Mgbako is announced during Hoosier Hysteria at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Friday, October 20, 2023. /

Key Reserves

Payton Sparks, Forward/Center

Sparks will look to make an impact in the frontcourt after making quite the splash in the MAC with Ball State over the past two seasons. He’s coming off a second-team All-Mac performance where he nearly averaged a double-double with 13.3 ppg, 8.7 rpg and 1.9 apg on 58.8 percent shooting from the floor. He won the 2021-22 MAC Rookie of the Year award after posting 13.5 ppg, 8.5 rpg and 1.2 apg in his debut season with the Cardinals. Look for him to carve out a role for himself in the Big Ten with Indiana over the next few seasons with his presence as a playmaking forward who can rebound the ball.

Anthony Walker, Small Forward/Wing

Walker will look to bring his four years of ACC experience (Miami) into the Hoosiers fold at the wing role. He’s a 6-foot-9 presence who appeared in 125 games with the Hurricanes from 2019-23, averaging 4.9 ppg and 2.5 rpg on 43.1 percent shooting from the field. A change of scenery should be good for him as a graduate transfer. He’ll look to showcase his development as an addition to a Big Ten squad.

Gabe Cupps, Guard

Cupps is another highly-touted recruit out of Centerville High (OH) who joins Indiana over the likes of Stanford, Kansas State and Michigan, keeping him close to home in the Midwest. He’s a crafty 6-foot-2 guard who can knock down shots and make things happen at the point guard spot if needed. He should compete for minutes in their backcourt this season.

CJ Gunn, Guard/Wing

Gunn is a returner from last year’s bench unit looking to earn more minutes heading into 2023-24. He made a decent impression in the backcourt as a freshman, averaging 2.0 ppg on 30.9 percent shooting from the field. He’s a sizeable name at 6-foot-6 who should see his development continue in the lineup.

Kaleb Banks, Forward/Wing

Banks is another returning reserve who made a few appearances as a freshman in the frontcourt. He’ll look to compete for minutes after appearing in 24 contests in his debut season, averaging 2.0 ppg. He’s shown he can operate at the forward/wing role when given opportunities.

Home/Indiana Hoosiers