While the rest of the country looks to construct their rosters through big-money NIL deals in the transfer portal, Matt Painter has stuck to his philosophy of development at Purdue. In the era of player movement, the Boilermakers have sustained success with home-grown talent, much of it from the state of Indiana.
However, after taking a step back in 2024-25 after the loss of Zach Edey to the NBA, Painter is broadening his horizons on the recruiting trail, landing a commitment Omer Mayer, a 6-foot-4 point guard who is one of the most highly regarded international prospects out of Israel.
Purdue basketball recruiting win with Omer Mayer commitment
Purdue’s backcourt will be crowded next season with the return of First-Team All-American and Big Ten Player of the Year Braden Smith along with his longtime running mate Fletcher Loyer. Still, Mayer is a crucial addition for a program that does not take big swings on veterans in the transfer portal and has just one other commit in the 2025 high school class, three-star guard Antione West.
This is not the first time that the longtime Purdue head coach has looked to the international talent pool, though it may be his biggest splash. 7-foot-2 center Will Berg, who played in 22 games for the Boilermakers this season, was a 2022 commit from Sweden, and even Zach Edey was originally from Canada before playing his high school ball at IMG Academy in Florida.
Mayer, who is developing with Maccabi Tel Aviv in the EuroLeague, was a star at last summer's FIBA U18 European Championship and a recent standout at last week's Nike Hoop Summit in Portland. Mayer reportedly visited Purdue after the Hoop Summit along with trips to Duke and Auburn.
While he's already an impactful player on the EuroLeauge stage, Mayer's commitment to Purdue signals that he'll be a multi-year college player, likely learning behind Smith next season before assuming the starting point guard role as a sophomore.