I don't want to say too much here, not after last year, when I put far too much stock in simple raw talent in thinking Purdue would be good prior to last season.
But you should see this team.
I'm telling you, this is a good basketball team, with what appears to be substance to go along with what looks like Matt Painter's most talented roster since his the Hummel-Moore-Johnson-Kramer-Grant years.
That was Purdue's last core capable of doing things of national relevance. This group coming together now in the freshman and sophomore classes represents the next such foundation, a very talented nucleus that in time might be able to do big things.
Purdue's not going to the Final Four this year and may still be hard-pressed to crack the top five teams in the Big Ten - though I would not dismiss that last possibility - but I am telling you, based off what I have seen and what believable stuff I have been told, this is a good basketball team.
It looks like one, at least, having replaced a lot of bad bodies, or bad body language, with more size, height, length, whatever else, having replaced a bunch of low-motor personalities with the opposite. No more goofballs on this team.
Last year's team would have failed the "airport test." This one passes easily.
A year ago, who was your first man off the bus, so to speak? A.J. Hammons, obviously, but then who?
Now, there's Hammons, but also Jay Simpson, Basil Smotherman, Bryson Scott, more guys who look the part, for whatever that's worth.
This is especially true in the backcourt, where Purdue has a 6-6 guard now (Kendall Stephens); a freshman guard who has the body of a 23-year-old (Bryson Scott); and an actual 23-year-old (Sterling Carter).
You know what this team also has now? Good posture.
It carries itself much differently, like a good basketball team.
For whatever that is worth.
Here are some assorted, directionless thoughts from a writer whose brain is deadline-fried right now.
This team has a player there's a really good chance it's going to lose to the NBA this spring and I'm not even sure A.J. Hammons is even Purdue's best, or most important, player anymore, a reflection of how much improved the talent level is on this roster, both because of the newcomers coming and development of those returning.
I've been covering Jay Simpson way too long to crown him - whatever that even means, Dennis Green - quite yet, but as far as the look test is concerned, if you just walked into practice blind, not knowing Jay Simpson from Homer Simpson, you'd have thought this was a former top-20 recruit in the country.
He has to keep the motor running and keep doing what got him to this point but he has every tool, every single tool, to be very, very good and play basketball for a long, long time.
Best way for Kendall Stephens to make his coach mad: Pass up any reasonable shot.
Purdue needs him firing at will, because he's too good a shooter to not do so, and that shooting will be the sole reason he's on the floor. Like we've said, Stephens doesn't shoot the ball so much as he gently places it in the basket from 21 feet away.
Stephens will struggle some on defense early in his career and while he's trying from a physical standpoint, that'll be a challenge, also.
But the shooting is just so superior to anything else Purdue has, the Boilermakers are going to need him.
You've read on this site 900 times now that if Basil Smotherman rebounds, runs and defends, he'll play. By the looks of things, he's doing all of them. He immediately makes Purdue more athletic, a more basketball functional sort of athletic than the departed Jacob Lawson.
Not sure Purdue needs big minutes out of Smotherman right away, but that doesn't mean he can't take them from somebody else.
Point guards need to do a better job with their decision-making and ball security than they have when I've been present - I might be the jinx, which wouldn't be uncommon - but Bryson Scott did the best job of those things I've seen from him maybe ever on Saturday, looking like an honest-to-goodness facilitator, which he'll have to be. Keep an eye on Scott's decision-making. That and foul trouble - he might get a tad grabby from time to time - might be hurdles. And he's going to need to pick his battles wisely with that jumper.
(Undecided on whether the new hand-check stuff is going to hurt Scott more on defense or help him more on offense, since he's a barrel-to-the-basket guy on offense. Upon further review, the new charge standards may hurt Purdue on D, but really help players like Scott, Terone Johnson and Rapheal Davis on offense.)
Ronnie Johnson did some iffy stuff Saturday, but still giving him the benefit of the doubt that when the lights come on, so will his. He is going to score this year, though. Jumper looks better and he's going to be one of the hardest players in the Big Ten to stay in front of and keep pace with in the open floor.
In the midst of the all the talk about newcomers and shiny new recruits, don't forget Terone Johnson, who I don't think gets the credit he's due.
He is about to have his best season at Purdue.
I think they're both going to contribute notably this season as players, but even if they don't, Errick Peck and Sterling Carter are going to be very much worth having around. They're both mature, good people. After last year's petulance, Purdue just needs mature people around.
As Matt Painter said a couple weeks ago in our yearbook interview, "We made some good trades."
As players, Peck produced 12 rebounds, very quietly, Saturday in the scrimmage and did a really nice job in high-low sets getting the ball to Hammons or Simpson at the rim, passing out of the high post.
Carter can shoot like you've heard he can and seems like a tough little SOB who's going to rebound and defend.
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In short, Purdue seems to have great pieces, a new resolve and so much less of an eye-roll factor as last year's team.
But the reason no one seems to think it's going to do much of anything this year is because it blew whatever benefit of the doubt it might otherwise be due with its objectionable play last season, even when it won, in many cases.
As improved as it looks both on paper and the practice floor, Purdue still has to prove it. It still has to not do stupid things, not take dumb shots, not throw the ball to the wrong team and, for crying out loud, make a damn free throw.
But the guess here is you're going to see a much better, much different team.
Don't believe me? Go see for yourself Saturday morning in Mackey Arena. Seriously.
But you should see this team.
I'm telling you, this is a good basketball team, with what appears to be substance to go along with what looks like Matt Painter's most talented roster since his the Hummel-Moore-Johnson-Kramer-Grant years.
That was Purdue's last core capable of doing things of national relevance. This group coming together now in the freshman and sophomore classes represents the next such foundation, a very talented nucleus that in time might be able to do big things.
Purdue's not going to the Final Four this year and may still be hard-pressed to crack the top five teams in the Big Ten - though I would not dismiss that last possibility - but I am telling you, based off what I have seen and what believable stuff I have been told, this is a good basketball team.
It looks like one, at least, having replaced a lot of bad bodies, or bad body language, with more size, height, length, whatever else, having replaced a bunch of low-motor personalities with the opposite. No more goofballs on this team.
Last year's team would have failed the "airport test." This one passes easily.
A year ago, who was your first man off the bus, so to speak? A.J. Hammons, obviously, but then who?
Now, there's Hammons, but also Jay Simpson, Basil Smotherman, Bryson Scott, more guys who look the part, for whatever that's worth.
This is especially true in the backcourt, where Purdue has a 6-6 guard now (Kendall Stephens); a freshman guard who has the body of a 23-year-old (Bryson Scott); and an actual 23-year-old (Sterling Carter).
You know what this team also has now? Good posture.
It carries itself much differently, like a good basketball team.
For whatever that is worth.
Here are some assorted, directionless thoughts from a writer whose brain is deadline-fried right now.
He has to keep the motor running and keep doing what got him to this point but he has every tool, every single tool, to be very, very good and play basketball for a long, long time.
Purdue needs him firing at will, because he's too good a shooter to not do so, and that shooting will be the sole reason he's on the floor. Like we've said, Stephens doesn't shoot the ball so much as he gently places it in the basket from 21 feet away.
Stephens will struggle some on defense early in his career and while he's trying from a physical standpoint, that'll be a challenge, also.
But the shooting is just so superior to anything else Purdue has, the Boilermakers are going to need him.
Not sure Purdue needs big minutes out of Smotherman right away, but that doesn't mean he can't take them from somebody else.
(Undecided on whether the new hand-check stuff is going to hurt Scott more on defense or help him more on offense, since he's a barrel-to-the-basket guy on offense. Upon further review, the new charge standards may hurt Purdue on D, but really help players like Scott, Terone Johnson and Rapheal Davis on offense.)
Ronnie Johnson did some iffy stuff Saturday, but still giving him the benefit of the doubt that when the lights come on, so will his. He is going to score this year, though. Jumper looks better and he's going to be one of the hardest players in the Big Ten to stay in front of and keep pace with in the open floor.
He is about to have his best season at Purdue.
As Matt Painter said a couple weeks ago in our yearbook interview, "We made some good trades."
As players, Peck produced 12 rebounds, very quietly, Saturday in the scrimmage and did a really nice job in high-low sets getting the ball to Hammons or Simpson at the rim, passing out of the high post.
Carter can shoot like you've heard he can and seems like a tough little SOB who's going to rebound and defend.
-----------
In short, Purdue seems to have great pieces, a new resolve and so much less of an eye-roll factor as last year's team.
But the reason no one seems to think it's going to do much of anything this year is because it blew whatever benefit of the doubt it might otherwise be due with its objectionable play last season, even when it won, in many cases.
As improved as it looks both on paper and the practice floor, Purdue still has to prove it. It still has to not do stupid things, not take dumb shots, not throw the ball to the wrong team and, for crying out loud, make a damn free throw.
But the guess here is you're going to see a much better, much different team.
Don't believe me? Go see for yourself Saturday morning in Mackey Arena. Seriously.
