Sorry for the delay here, but was out of town this evening. Didn't have a chance before to throw out any sort of analysis regarding Camden Heide's seemingly inevitable commitment to Purdue.
We'll go bullet-point style here ...
• This may be the truest 'small forward' Purdue has signed under Matt Painter. I do think Heide could very easily play as a stretch 4 at the next level, but based on what I've seen he is a good enough ball-handler and shooter to legitimately play as a 3 man because that could be his best position, not by default or to cover up or create matchup disparities. Vince Edwards was best at the 4 in part because it highlighted his ability to create mismatches, but also because guarding 3s wasn't always his cup of tea. Sort of the same deal for Robbie Hummel to a certain extent, but the depth of talent level at Purdue now dwarfs what it was then, so the caliber of options is going to be different.
I think that Heide is now a legit 6-7 and taking him at his word that he's 205 pounds, as a 3 man, that's really something.
I haven't seen him play since Dallas two Aprils ago, when he was playing up two years, but if he shoots it the way he's reputed to shoot it, in that body, with those guard skills, that's a pretty intriguing package.
He is going to have to be able to guard guards, though, if he's going to play on the wing, and that's part of Purdue's challenge moving forward, leveraging size all over the court. That'll be a key theme if Caleb Furst and Trey Kaufman-Renn play together as bookend forwards. Can they offset ideal lateral movement for their positions by simply occupying more space?
• I am really interested to see Heide shoot the ball this summer. Purdue needs to keep that pipeline stocked, and that Purdue talked to him in the context of its past shooting guards, that says something. He always struck me as more of a spot-up, stationary kind of shooter, but again, I haven't seen him since before the apocalypse.
I'm expecting to see a wholly different player this summer.
• Another state champion. That's now four over two recruiting classes, and one of those who didn't win over was Fletcher Loyer, whose team was unbeaten up until regionals before losing to the eventual champ.
Purdue should have a roster full of guys who really care about winning, because it's what they're used to.
• Just a quick reminder for those to whom this is important: Florida, Texas, Ohio State, Arizona, Creighton, Xavier and Wisconsin all offered this guy before he came down to Purdue, Minnesota, Viriginia Tech, etc.
Arizona legitimately targeted him before Sean Miller's ouster.
I do think it was Purdue all the way for him, though, and that speaks volumes about where Purdue is right now. It wasn't all that long ago it might have been the safety school for a player who was recruited at this level.
• Steve Lutz deserves credit on this one. He sniffed out Heide's Purdue's connections early and was all over this kid when he was a freshman.
• What now? Well, this is interesting, because I've always viewed Heide as sort of a luxury because you don't desperately need a combo forward right now, and with three scholarships spoken for, and one having to go to a big man, things get a little tight.
Purdue is taking a big, maybe Kebba Njie if they can get him
They also really want another guard, preferably a dynamic one.
But then what happens if Jalen Washington wants to come? They're taking him, that's what.
So what gets left on the cutting room floor?
Another good problem to have.
We'll go bullet-point style here ...
• This may be the truest 'small forward' Purdue has signed under Matt Painter. I do think Heide could very easily play as a stretch 4 at the next level, but based on what I've seen he is a good enough ball-handler and shooter to legitimately play as a 3 man because that could be his best position, not by default or to cover up or create matchup disparities. Vince Edwards was best at the 4 in part because it highlighted his ability to create mismatches, but also because guarding 3s wasn't always his cup of tea. Sort of the same deal for Robbie Hummel to a certain extent, but the depth of talent level at Purdue now dwarfs what it was then, so the caliber of options is going to be different.
I think that Heide is now a legit 6-7 and taking him at his word that he's 205 pounds, as a 3 man, that's really something.
I haven't seen him play since Dallas two Aprils ago, when he was playing up two years, but if he shoots it the way he's reputed to shoot it, in that body, with those guard skills, that's a pretty intriguing package.
He is going to have to be able to guard guards, though, if he's going to play on the wing, and that's part of Purdue's challenge moving forward, leveraging size all over the court. That'll be a key theme if Caleb Furst and Trey Kaufman-Renn play together as bookend forwards. Can they offset ideal lateral movement for their positions by simply occupying more space?
• I am really interested to see Heide shoot the ball this summer. Purdue needs to keep that pipeline stocked, and that Purdue talked to him in the context of its past shooting guards, that says something. He always struck me as more of a spot-up, stationary kind of shooter, but again, I haven't seen him since before the apocalypse.
I'm expecting to see a wholly different player this summer.
• Another state champion. That's now four over two recruiting classes, and one of those who didn't win over was Fletcher Loyer, whose team was unbeaten up until regionals before losing to the eventual champ.
Purdue should have a roster full of guys who really care about winning, because it's what they're used to.
• Just a quick reminder for those to whom this is important: Florida, Texas, Ohio State, Arizona, Creighton, Xavier and Wisconsin all offered this guy before he came down to Purdue, Minnesota, Viriginia Tech, etc.
Arizona legitimately targeted him before Sean Miller's ouster.
I do think it was Purdue all the way for him, though, and that speaks volumes about where Purdue is right now. It wasn't all that long ago it might have been the safety school for a player who was recruited at this level.
• Steve Lutz deserves credit on this one. He sniffed out Heide's Purdue's connections early and was all over this kid when he was a freshman.
• What now? Well, this is interesting, because I've always viewed Heide as sort of a luxury because you don't desperately need a combo forward right now, and with three scholarships spoken for, and one having to go to a big man, things get a little tight.
Purdue is taking a big, maybe Kebba Njie if they can get him
They also really want another guard, preferably a dynamic one.
But then what happens if Jalen Washington wants to come? They're taking him, that's what.
So what gets left on the cutting room floor?
Another good problem to have.
