Across the last decade, the way to build a successful college basketball program sure has changed drastically thanks to NIL, the transfer portal, and massive advancements in international and domestic recruiting. Purdue basketball hasn’t quite gotten that memo and has been better off for it. However, things will look very different in this upcoming season, with the Boilermakers graduating perhaps the most successful class of seniors in program history.
Matt Painter enters year 22 at the helm of his alma mater but will do so without Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer, and Trey Kaufman-Renn, three enormous icons for their work over the last four seasons. During their time, the Boilermakers played for the national title in 2024 and made deep runs the following seasons. In fact, Purdue is fresh off a 30-win campaign despite a 6th place finish in the Big Ten, with their successful season ending in the Elite Eight.
Big man in the paint gone
The Boilermakers also shed imposing big man Oscar Cluff and have some major holes to fill in this lineup, but let’s refer back to what we said at the beginning. Purdue isn’t reloading their entire lineup in the transfer portal on a yearly basis. They retained an impressive class for four full seasons and have continued loading up on homegrown talent. There are a couple new faces in this lineup this year, but it’s a single transfer surrounded by a ton of young pieces.
Whether or not this strategy works can’t really be argued with Purdue’s impressive results in recent years. However, not ever player turns into a legend like Smith or a beacon like Loyer. A lot is riding on some returning pieces playing significantly larger roles and there’s always a question about how that’ll turn out. Painter is confident in his guys, so let’s run through just who exactly is still around in West Lafayette.
Projected Starters
Guard – Omer Mayer (Sophomore)
A 6-4 point guard from Tel Aviv, Israel, Mayer gets his shot to run the show as the new starter after showing glimpses of brilliance last season. His first year with the Boilermakers saw 5.5 points and 1.2 assists in a reserve role, though he has the opportunity to make a major splash this year. The former Top 100 prospect is widely revered for his physical presence and playmaking ability, with great ball handling and facilitating skills as well.
Guard – C. J. Cox (Junior)
An actual returning starter, Cox has gotten chances with the Boilermakers as an underclassman and becomes even more vital heading into year three. The Massachusetts native put up 8.5 points and 2.8 rebounds last season but can be much more than that in this offense. He’s made 38% of his 3-pointers in his young career and might be even better, with the potential to be Purdue’s deadly sharpshooter in the upcoming year.
Guard – Jack Benter (Sophomore)
There are a few directions Purdue can go with the starting lineup but we’re penciling in Benter into the role right now. He played reserve minutes as a redshirt freshman, averaging 4.4 points and 2.6 rebounds last year while showcasing his potential. His long-range numbers were impressive (41% in limited chances) but his combination of size and scoring ability make him a truly unique and important part of the equation, regardless of his starting status.
Forward – Caden Pierce (Senior)
The rare transfer addition, Pierce is a former Ivy League star who spent four years at Princeton, including three years on the basketball court. He was Ivy League Rookie of the Year as a freshman, Player of the Year as a sophomore, and remaining a high-value starter before sitting out last season. Pierce put up 16.6 points and 9.2 rebounds in year two before taking a downturn, but the Boilermakers are hoping he can remain an efficient scorer and effective big around the basket.
Center – Daniel Jacobsen (Junior)
There’s a history of developing dominant big men and Purdue is hoping that Jacobsen is next in that line. He’s a 7-4 center from Chicago with incredible size, fresh off a season where he contributed 5.5 points and 3.0 rebounds as a reserve behind Kaufman-Renn and Cluff. The former Top 100 prospect has the tools to be a menace on both ends of the court and could honestly be among the Big Ten leaders in field goal percentage and blocked shots as a junior.
Key Reserves
Guard – Antione West Jr. (Freshman)
After a year redshirting and becoming more comfortable in this program, West will be on the court this season and could be quite the resource for the Boilermakers. He’s a 6-3 shooting guard with the entailial to put the ball in the basket from all over the court. He’s an attacker, great at creating separation, and can drain long-range shots, though we’ll see just what kind of role he plays in this new-look backcourt.
Guard – Luke Ertel (Freshman)
Perhaps the most impressive piece in a deep freshmen class, Ertel is a 6-1 point guard from Indiana who’s hoping to leave his mark on Purdue basketball in the coming years. He’s yet another intense and effective guard who can attack in the paint and also knock down outside shots. He’s a 4-star recruit dripping with talent and you’ll likely see him playing important minutes before March rolls around.
Guard – Jacob Webber (Freshman)
Another impressive freshman throw into the mix, Webber is a 6-6 wing from Nebraska who looks like another formidable shooter for the Boilermakers. A 4-star prospect, he’s known for his athleticism and shot-making ability, perhaps standing out as one of the most accurate freshmen wings in the country. Webber needs to add more strength and will continue to develop, but don’t be shocked if he becomes a walking bucket someday soon.
Forward – Enzo Shahrvin (Senior)
Recently receiving eligibility, Shahrvin is a 6-9 big man from France who brings quite the experience into this lineup. He’s a physical athlete who just might be the best rebounder on the whole roster, and that’ll certainly earn him plenty of minutes if he lives up to the hype. He’s got just one season to prove himself with the Boilermakers but he seems like a steal for this frontcourt if he can figure it out on offense.
Guard – Gicarri Harris (Junior)
Many expect that Harris might actually be a starter for the Boilermakers this season, though we’re including him here under the assumption Purdue wants a bigger starting lineup. Regardless, the 6-3 guard from Atlanta has great potential after putting up 4.6 points and 1.6 rebounds off the bench as a sophomore. He’s due for a large leap in minutes and production and adds a wily presence in this backcourt.
Center – Sinan Huan (Freshman)
Perhaps one of the next big things in the Purdue backcourt, Huan is a 7-foot center who’s already showcased himself in his international career while playing for China. That FIBA experience only proved that he’s an impressive shot blocker who really uses his size well on defense, though we’ll have to see if he can take that leap forward and be a dynamic scorer as well.
Forward – Raleigh Burgess (Sophomore)
After limited minutes as a freshman, Burgess redshirted last year with the Boilermakers, but it was far from a lost season for him and the team. After putting up just 1.9 points and 1.3 rebounds, he’ll be back on the court and could be a valuable piece of the frontcourt equation. The 6-11 forward from Cincinnati is back from that injury and provides important depth, with flexibility to play both the 4 and the 5 while also being a great outside shooter.
Schedule Outlook
The season starts with a bang, as the Boilermakers open the season against Gonzaga in Las Vegas on November 2nd. They come back home for five straight tilts against mid-majors, but then it’s off to Florida for the Fort Myers Tip-Off. During Thanksgiving week, they’ll see DePaul and Oklahoma and hope to get the season off to a good start.
December begins with those first few Big Ten games but it’s a challenging slate overall in that month. The first two Tuesdays in the month see the Boilermakers hosting Iowa and traveling to Wisconsin, but sandwiched between that is a tough trip to Iowa State on December 5th. The Boilermakers also welcome a stout Tennessee squad to town on December 11th and then play the Indy Classic against Colorado a week later.
Big Ten play starts with a few home games around the holiday season, but significant early tests at Illinois and Michigan greet Purdue on the 5th and 8th of January respectively. They’ll get a second shot at the Fighting Illini later in the year while also playing Rutgers and rival Indiana two times. There’s a winnable stretch of games surrounding a late January trip to East Lansing and Michigan State. The regular season ends against rival Indiana on March 5th right after a west coast trip to see Oregon and Washington.
Season Outlook
No matter what happens in the months ahead, Purdue misses what Smith and the others meant to this program. It’s a new era in West Lafayette even with a myriad of returning faces. However, we’ve broken down just what these players can do and their expectations moving forward and it’ll be very interesting to see just who stars for the Boilermakers.
Even before Smith’s departure, Purdue was already excited about his replacement in Mayer and seeing what he can do with the basketball. Having a returning starter in Cox is great for a backcourt that got much younger but is dripping with potential. Ertel looks like the next big thing at guard for the Boilermakers while Harris just might earn a majority of the starts depending on how Painter builds his lineups.
Those two big departures in the frontcourt leave plenty of opportunities and there’s a lot of talent here ready to pounce. Jacobsen’s size could play an enormous role while we can’t ignore the potential that young pieces like Huan and Shahrvin bring as well. The product is going to look very different, but Purdue still has physical forwards and great shooters up and down this lineup, especially if Pierce can recapture his old form after a year off the court.
It’s important to take a step back and not get lost in the sauce, because there’s immense talent here in West Lafayette but there likely will be growing pains as well. The departing seniors had those moments early in their careers and a young lineup will have those moments this year. However, it’s hard to doubt what Painter and his staff has done in building this team and they’ll have them ready for action and primed to compete at a high level in the Big Ten once again.
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