• He is the posterboy for the value of the new draft-evaluation set-up for underclassmen, because this is a player who came into this process with very little "buzz" as a draftable guy after he putting himself onto that radar with his significant development as a sophomore. Not sure this was ever about this year for him, but there's nothing but up-side for him in gaining this experience.
• An interesting dynamic nationwide is going to be how these underclassmen who come back are able to switch back into college players after focusing most of the spring on an NBA agenda. Such things can be perilous if players come back to school worrying too much about their own best interests from a pro-stock standpoint, but it can also go both ways. In this case, if Edwards starts carrying himself like a pro, that might really help Purdue, because A) this past season showed him to be the one player who inarguably made Purdue better when he was asserting himself and B) Purdue may need someone to take command in key situations next season. Edwards' chameleon sort of game makes him an important piece in that context because of the variety of situations he might be able to apply his skill set to. But confidence matters there.
• What can he do to enhance his stock for next season? Improve defensively, streamline his shooting release, produce at a high level and win.
Edwards showed at the end of this past season that he might be on the verge of some really big things at Purdue. Today's news that he's staying in position to realize some of those things is not shocking news, but should be a win-win for everybody involved.
• An interesting dynamic nationwide is going to be how these underclassmen who come back are able to switch back into college players after focusing most of the spring on an NBA agenda. Such things can be perilous if players come back to school worrying too much about their own best interests from a pro-stock standpoint, but it can also go both ways. In this case, if Edwards starts carrying himself like a pro, that might really help Purdue, because A) this past season showed him to be the one player who inarguably made Purdue better when he was asserting himself and B) Purdue may need someone to take command in key situations next season. Edwards' chameleon sort of game makes him an important piece in that context because of the variety of situations he might be able to apply his skill set to. But confidence matters there.
• What can he do to enhance his stock for next season? Improve defensively, streamline his shooting release, produce at a high level and win.
Edwards showed at the end of this past season that he might be on the verge of some really big things at Purdue. Today's news that he's staying in position to realize some of those things is not shocking news, but should be a win-win for everybody involved.
