Couple quick thoughts from Purdue's scrimmage(s) today.
• This was the first time I ever saw Zach Edey play basketball, and have to tell you, he is legit, insofar as I can tell from one day. (Though that one day corroborated everything I'd been told about him.)
Edey is indeed massive, but he is quicker to the ball than you'd think on the glass — Isaac Haas was never a great rebounder because he wasn't necessarily quick to the ball — and has some modest bounce to him. He is surprisingly quick and not nearly as mechanical as I figured he'd be, not just because he's so big but because he hasn't played all that much to this point. He caught the ball cleanly today and transitioned seamlessly to basketball moves, which a lot of raw bigs do not. You'd never have known this guy hasn't played very long with the way he used his lower body to stave off Trevion Williams on an early and-one and the way he caught the ball and dunked on a number of occasions. He made excellent passes out of post double teams, looking like a well seasoned player, and if his free throw form/results are any indication, he has some real offensive skill/touch.
Can't say enough about what a nice prospect he looked like today, and obviously his productivity speaks for itself.
Purdue's backup center question is already answered I think.
• Obviously, this was not a complete picture today, with Ethan Morton out and Eric Hunter mostly out. Those are going to be two important pieces to a backcourt where it's hard to imagine Purdue legitimately playing six guys. (No, no one's redshirting.)
• Brandon Newman has had a great preseason by every indication and his numbers from the two scrimmages back it up. In addition to his much-discussed shooting, Newman made some really nice scoring moves off the dribble today and some gorgeous, savvy finishes. This is gonna be a case, probably, of Purdue urging him to play to his strengths (shooting) all season, but he showed a little bit of potential today as something more, at least from a scoring perspective.
Seemed to play really hard on D too — he ran down Isaiah Thompson in transition once to erase a layup — but Sasha Stefanovic did get him a couple times in moments of over-aggressiveness.
• Same for Stefanovic. He did some things off the bounce as a scorer and facilitator that were a little bit off brand, creating a three for himself by shaking Newman off the dribble and launching, but also getting to the basket a few times, including a runner high off the glass. Never seen him do that before.
• The 4 is going to be a position where Purdue has to prove itself. Neither Aaron Wheeler nor Mason Gillis shot it great today, and Gillis took a bunch of threes in the final scrimmage when Purdue put Williams and Edey together. Gillis was the other team's 5, part of a five-out offense in which he shot a bunch of threes over Edey out on the perimeter. Didn't make 'em but looked good shooting them at least.
Gillis did make a three and a mid-range wing jumper in succession at one point, but I think his niche for Purdue will be to rebound, give effort and energy and make the occasional open three. He has a lot of qualities that could at minimum make him a really valuable role-type throughout his career.
• Purdue did have one scrimmage session in which its returnees (minus Hunter) and newcomers (minus Morton) squared off, and the newcomers won 18-14. Newman and Edey were really good in that session and Jaden Ivey sealed it by making 5-of-6 at the foul line in the final stretch.
• Painter said this was Jaden Ivey's best day, but this is all I've ever seen from the freshman. He might give Purdue a real shot in the arm as a multi-level scorer, a weapon off the dribble and especially as a threat in transition, where he is really good. He's excellent at the rim, always has been, always will be and he looks legit bigger and stronger than I last saw him.
He does not necessarily have the most natural looking three-point shot, but he made a few today.
• This was the first time I ever saw Zach Edey play basketball, and have to tell you, he is legit, insofar as I can tell from one day. (Though that one day corroborated everything I'd been told about him.)
Edey is indeed massive, but he is quicker to the ball than you'd think on the glass — Isaac Haas was never a great rebounder because he wasn't necessarily quick to the ball — and has some modest bounce to him. He is surprisingly quick and not nearly as mechanical as I figured he'd be, not just because he's so big but because he hasn't played all that much to this point. He caught the ball cleanly today and transitioned seamlessly to basketball moves, which a lot of raw bigs do not. You'd never have known this guy hasn't played very long with the way he used his lower body to stave off Trevion Williams on an early and-one and the way he caught the ball and dunked on a number of occasions. He made excellent passes out of post double teams, looking like a well seasoned player, and if his free throw form/results are any indication, he has some real offensive skill/touch.
Can't say enough about what a nice prospect he looked like today, and obviously his productivity speaks for itself.
Purdue's backup center question is already answered I think.
• Obviously, this was not a complete picture today, with Ethan Morton out and Eric Hunter mostly out. Those are going to be two important pieces to a backcourt where it's hard to imagine Purdue legitimately playing six guys. (No, no one's redshirting.)
• Brandon Newman has had a great preseason by every indication and his numbers from the two scrimmages back it up. In addition to his much-discussed shooting, Newman made some really nice scoring moves off the dribble today and some gorgeous, savvy finishes. This is gonna be a case, probably, of Purdue urging him to play to his strengths (shooting) all season, but he showed a little bit of potential today as something more, at least from a scoring perspective.
Seemed to play really hard on D too — he ran down Isaiah Thompson in transition once to erase a layup — but Sasha Stefanovic did get him a couple times in moments of over-aggressiveness.
• Same for Stefanovic. He did some things off the bounce as a scorer and facilitator that were a little bit off brand, creating a three for himself by shaking Newman off the dribble and launching, but also getting to the basket a few times, including a runner high off the glass. Never seen him do that before.
• The 4 is going to be a position where Purdue has to prove itself. Neither Aaron Wheeler nor Mason Gillis shot it great today, and Gillis took a bunch of threes in the final scrimmage when Purdue put Williams and Edey together. Gillis was the other team's 5, part of a five-out offense in which he shot a bunch of threes over Edey out on the perimeter. Didn't make 'em but looked good shooting them at least.
Gillis did make a three and a mid-range wing jumper in succession at one point, but I think his niche for Purdue will be to rebound, give effort and energy and make the occasional open three. He has a lot of qualities that could at minimum make him a really valuable role-type throughout his career.
• Purdue did have one scrimmage session in which its returnees (minus Hunter) and newcomers (minus Morton) squared off, and the newcomers won 18-14. Newman and Edey were really good in that session and Jaden Ivey sealed it by making 5-of-6 at the foul line in the final stretch.
• Painter said this was Jaden Ivey's best day, but this is all I've ever seen from the freshman. He might give Purdue a real shot in the arm as a multi-level scorer, a weapon off the dribble and especially as a threat in transition, where he is really good. He's excellent at the rim, always has been, always will be and he looks legit bigger and stronger than I last saw him.
He does not necessarily have the most natural looking three-point shot, but he made a few today.
