Painter as a player

[HomelessHarvey97]

Was not around to watch him, but question to those who were: what was Matt Painter like as a player?

Has there been anybody on Purdue teams of late that can be compared to Painter as a player?

 

[PU52Chevy]

Obviously Matt was a tall guard....not quick enough to play PG but did when needed (and did well bringing the ball up) and had an average jump shot to play SG but did in Gene Keady's 3 guard system because the guards were interchangeable.

I remember being at games and people yelling bad stuff like "drop the piano matt"= meaning he was sluggish up and down the court.

But Matt played hard and had amazing court vision....he could really pass the ball and with his size he could see over the defending guard on offense to feed the post or wings and had a nose for the ball to rebound.

He also had a good mid-range jump shot from 12-18 feet and off glass.....

I remember him throwing many ally-oop dunks to Big Dog that brought the house down.

To compare him to a recent player....hmmm not sure....maybe Bryant Dillon, Hartley or even a current player like Dakota Mathias......

Hartley on the low end comparison (Painter was more athletic), B. Dillion about the same in skills and size and game and then Mathias on the high end comparison (Mathias a better jump shooter from 3 and overall but similar passing skills).....

Matt was fun to watch and played on some good teams that were fun to watch.....

I am a year older than Matt and we were at Purdue at the same time.....was a great guy then and is still a great guy now and glad he is our coach.

That's my two cents.....Boiler Up!

 

[thenagemj02]

I think Mathias is a decent comparison to Coach Painter. D.J. Byrd and CMP had some comparable traits as well.

 

[Wheels Of Steel]

My recollection, having watched him for all four years he played here, was that he was a tough, hard-nosed, heady player (as were virtually all of Keady's guards in those days). A good passer, but in my memory he was, for a guard, a mediocre free-throw shooter. Sure enough, I pulled up his shooting stats, and he was 6-15, 23-37, 38-53, and 42-62 over his four years - a career 65.3% shooter.

 

[jimsil13]

I also attended Purdue at the same time as Matt, and my little group of friends were not as fond of Painter-the player. He was an all around decent player I suppose; good passer and all that.
We just took exception to his shot selection (or lack there of). One friend said: "never met a shot that Painter didn't like...". And it often was the timing of the "ill advised" shot. Often a momentum killer, if memory serves me correctly. We were kinda hard on him, in retrospect.
It got to the point that we were playing a pickup game, and somebody launched one up from about half court, and as he shot it yelled: "Look, I'm Matt Painter!!!" Everyone laughed, but that became the standard insult for our little crowd at a basketball game.
For instance: "What the hell are you doing out there today Tony; you've chucked up like 6 or 7 Matt Painters already?" Or: "Can you believe that guy sank that Painter shot at the buzzer, to win the game???"

Ohh, and Edit: much more DJ Byrd than Dakota Mathias, IMHO.

 

[boilerzz]

We just took exception to his shot selection (or lack there of). One friend said: "never met a shot that Painter didn't like...".

Interesting. I was at Purdue then and I don't remember him like that at all. Looking at his numbers, he had 367 shot attempts in 109 games (just over 3 per game in 18.1 minutes). Even as a senior, he only averaged 6 shots in 30.3 minutes.

 

[ToddFosterakadirty]

I played a lot of pickup basketball ball with Painter and you can't believe how good he was in those games. He didn't mix it up inside for fear of getting injury but from 30 feet he was automatic and he threw some of the best passes I have ever seen. It just goes to show you the level of competition that is high division one. We had a poly sci class together and the teacher asked if was an athlete for Purdue. With a straight face he replied no but he did play basketball for Purdue. He knew he was not an actual athlete.

 

[Purdue85]

I think Mathias is a decent comparison to
Coach Painter. D.J. Byrd and CMP had some comparable traits as well.

No disrespect to Painter, but Mathias is much more athletic than Painter was.

Matt was a very good player in Keady's system, but the for the life of me I cannot imagine how we won so many d@mn games under Keady with the players he had....

 

[jimsil13]

Interesting. I was at Purdue then and I don't remember him like that at all. Looking at his numbers, he had 367 shot attempts in 109 games (just over 3 per game in 18.1 minutes). Even as a senior, he only averaged 6 shots in 30.3 minutes.

Wasn't really saying he was a ball hog, or shot too much: just that some of the shots were often fairly deep, or pretty well guarded. To the point that we thought that it wasn't a very high percentage shot. Hence, the buzzer-beater, or double-teamed 25 footer being labeled a "Painter shot"...

 

[coach_rodge]

I'm Painter's age, saw him some as a high school senior and Indiana All-Star, then all four years at Purdue. I echo 52Chevy's assessment. I hadn't thought about Bryant Dillon, but that's a really good comparison. Matt was smart on the court, a real basketball junkie. Keady always said he was going to be a coach. He was a serviceable defender as an upperclassman, able to cover his lack of foot speed with his savvy, size and effort. I've often thought Mathias reminded me of him, but Dakota is a better all-around player, and in particular a much better shooter. Matt's biggest strength was his passing. I still think he's the best passer I've ever seen at Purdue, having watched since 1978.

 

[ImRonBurgandy?]

Slow white dude that couldn't dunk. So, as a kid growing up I didn't think he was very impressive. If you couldn't dunk, I wasn't interested. However, happy that he is our coach. And that alley oop behind the head to the Big Dog was one of the best in game dunks I've seen. If anyone remembers at that time Gary Payton did that with Shawn Kemp, who at that time was certainly one of the top most exciting players in the NBA, and to see that happen at Purdue...well that was pretty damn exciting.

 

[Boileratthebeach]

No disrespect to Painter, but Mathias is much more athletic than Painter was.

Matt was a very good player in Keady's system, but the for the life of me I cannot imagine how we won so many d@mn games under Keady with the players he had....

Totally agree. I was at Purdue the same time Painter played. I don't think he compares to any of our current guys or even guys in the past 10 years. Maybe Dj Byrd but again I thought Byrd was better. Painter was marginal at best as a player. I thought the alley oops to Glenn was at Mackey Magic not in a game. I could be mistaken though.

 

[ToddFosterakadirty]

Slow white dude that couldn't dunk. So, as a kid growing up I didn't think he was very impressive. If you couldn't dunk, I wasn't interested. However, happy that he is our coach. And that alley oop behind the head to the Big Dog was one of the best in game dunks I've seen. If anyone remembers at that time Gary Payton did that with Shawn Kemp, who at that time was certainly one of the top most exciting players in the NBA, and to see that happen at Purdue...well that was pretty damn exciting.

He had a dunk against IU his freshman year and they played it as part of an espn promo before all the college games the next year.

 

[Grover]

The "slower B. Dillon" comparison is probably best.

I didn't like him much as a player back in the day in spite of his solid passing ability. I really wanted us to get Leary instead of him coming out of HS so I probably had him labeled as a plan B player in my mind before he ever suited up for us. Once he did, I preferred Darner (and later Waddell) as players. I'm betting I'd like him more if I watched his games now compared to how I liked him back then.

 

[New Pal Boiler]

Was not around to watch him, but question to those who were: what was Matt Painter like as a player?

Has there been anybody on Purdue teams of late that can be compared to Painter as a player?

OK let's put it this way: Matt painter the coach would not have recruited Matt painter the player.

 

[Professor Emeritus]

Totally agree. I was at Purdue the same time Painter played. I don't think he compares to any of our current guys or even guys in the past 10 years. Maybe Dj Byrd but again I thought Byrd was better. Painter was marginal at best as a player. I thought the alley oops to Glenn was at Mackey Magic not in a game. I could be mistaken though.

If I recall correctly, that Painter to Glenn pass was during an exhibition game at Mackey in November 1992. Regardless, it was majestic.

 

[boilergold]

I believe that no look pass to Big Dog was Glenn's first game (exhibition) at Purdue. It is one of the best in game dunks I have ever seen, college and pro. It was a packed house for just an exhibition game because it was his first game after sitting out a year on Prop 48. There was a lot of hype surrounding him because of how good he was out of high school. A lot of stories going around his freshman year about him dominating games at the co-rec and people couldn't wait to see him play. I believe Painter said after the game, that he knew Glenn was behind him somewhere and he just threw it up knowing that Glenn would be able to get it. What made it so good was that Glenn had to bend over quite a bit just to get the ball to the rim. The crowd went ballistic. It was maybe his first really big play in a college game.

 

[PaBoiler78]

If I recall correctly, that Painter to Glenn pass was during an exhibition game at Mackey in November 1992. Regardless, it was majestic.

he was an OK sub, a RS year may have help.

 

[BoilerBiker]

Trying to find this alley oop to g.Robinson
Is this it, can't quite tell if it's painter (too unclear on small screen)

3:35 mark

 

[boilergold]

Yes, that's it.
Great highlights. That guy could do it all.

 

[Purdue Grad in Texas]

Yes, that's it.
Great highlights. That guy could do it all.

Great find....thanks for posting.....I was able to take out a lot of the background noise.....you can hear Painter shout over his shoulder....."MOVE, Big Dog!"

 

[ImRonBurgandy?]

If I recall correctly, that Painter to Glenn pass was during an exhibition game at Mackey in November 1992. Regardless, it was majestic.

I believe that no look pass to Big Dog was Glenn's first game (exhibition) at Purdue. It is one of the best in game dunks I have ever seen, college and pro. It was a packed house for just an exhibition game because it was his first game after sitting out a year on Prop 48. There was a lot of hype surrounding him because of how good he was out of high school. A lot of stories going around his freshman year about him dominating games at the co-rec and people couldn't wait to see him play. I believe Painter said after the game, that he knew Glenn was behind him somewhere and he just threw it up knowing that Glenn would be able to get it. What made it so good was that Glenn had to bend over quite a bit just to get the ball to the rim. The crowd went ballistic. It was maybe his first really big play in a college game.

I remember that game well. Ended up with 31pts and he only had 7 at the half. Totally lit up the Russians in the 2nd half.

 

[coloboiler]

Me too. That was my fifth year at Purdue and I remember watching that game in person. I still think of that play when I think of Painter as a player.

And thanks for posting the Big Dog highlights, BoilerBiker!

 

[TJBoiler]

Obviously Matt was a tall guard....not quick enough to play PG but did when needed (and did well bringing the ball up) and had an average jump shot to play SG but did in Gene Keady's 3 guard system because the guards were interchangeable.

I remember being at games and people yelling bad stuff like "drop the piano matt"= meaning he was sluggish up and down the court.

But Matt played hard and had amazing court vision....he could really pass the ball and with his size he could see over the defending guard on offense to feed the post or wings and had a nose for the ball to rebound.

He also had a good mid-range jump shot from 12-18 feet and off glass.....

I remember him throwing many ally-oop dunks to Big Dog that brought the house down.

To compare him to a recent player....hmmm not sure....maybe Bryant Dillon, Hartley or even a current player like Dakota Mathias......

Hartley on the low end comparison (Painter was more athletic), B. Dillion about the same in skills and size and game and then Mathias on the high end comparison (Mathias a better jump shooter from 3 and overall but similar passing skills).....

Matt was fun to watch and played on some good teams that were fun to watch.....

I am a year older than Matt and we were at Purdue at the same time.....was a great guy then and is still a great guy now and glad he is our coach.

That's my two cents.....Boiler Up!

Trying to find this alley oop to g.Robinson
Is this it, can't quite tell if it's painter (too unclear on small screen)

3:35 mark

View embedded media

Matt was an outstanding passer at Purdue. He came to Purdue during a few down years in recruiting. Matt was supposed to be a good outside shooter but he was inconsistent. Glenn had sit out his freshmen year due to that silly prop 48 rule. But then Glenn may have never played at Purdue as most big schools backed off recruiting him over it. Purdue made the tournament Matt's junior year after winning final 7 games in 1991 with Jimmy Oliver. A guardless Purdue lost to Temple in 1st rd.

WOW how good would Purdue be with Jimmy Oliver on this team this year? I think the 91 Michigan/Purdue game at Michigan a Purdue win on ESPN in 91 is on youtube if you want to see Matt play.

As for Glenn Robinson I have many video tapes stored in a box of hi games his 2 years at Purdue. Pretty much all the BIG games. Unfortunately taped many of them on EP so quality today not very good. I have Glenn's first game against UConn. All the big games. The win at Michigan clinching Big 10 title. 41 pt game against Illini winning Big 10 title. All a much bigger deal as you still had NBA 1 year pros playing 2-3 years of college.

Glenn easily best player I saw at Purdue. That's the thing. If Glenn had come back his senior year. Purdue would have likely dominated college basketball 94-95. They won the Big 10. Brad Miller was a freshman center. In fact I'd argue Purdue may have went undefeated in 94-95. You would have had Glenn at PF, Miller at Center and Martin at SF. With Porter Roberts at point and Matt Waddell at 2G. Plus a deep bench with Brandon Brantley, Chad Austin, Herb Dove, Justin Jennings and Todd Foster. Roy Hairston likely not signed with Robinson back. That team went 25-7 (15-3). Yes I have an old 99 media guide with all the history.

Tell you how good Glenn was... I am in Indy. Purdue played Houston at Market Square arena in Dec 93. I got a die die hard IU fan who disliked Purdue to go see that game with me. Because he was a basketball fan first and wanted to see Glenn Robinson play live. Glenn's dunk in that game is on that highlight video.

 

[Boileratthebeach]

I believe that no look pass to Big Dog was Glenn's first game (exhibition) at Purdue. It is one of the best in game dunks I have ever seen, college and pro. It was a packed house for just an exhibition game because it was his first game after sitting out a year on Prop 48. There was a lot of hype surrounding him because of how good he was out of high school. A lot of stories going around his freshman year about him dominating games at the co-rec and people couldn't wait to see him play. I believe Painter said after the game, that he knew Glenn was behind him somewhere and he just threw it up knowing that Glenn would be able to get it. What made it so good was that Glenn had to bend over quite a bit just to get the ball to the rim. The crowd went ballistic. It was maybe his first really big play in a college game.

That seems right. I remember that same quote. Painter throwing it over his head and Glenn throwing it down. I was in the stands. Crowd lost their minds.

 

[TJBoiler]

Matt was an outstanding passer at Purdue. He came to Purdue during a few down years in recruiting. Matt was supposed to be a good outside shooter but he was inconsistent. Glenn had sit out his freshmen year due to that silly prop 48 rule. But then Glenn may have never played at Purdue as most big schools backed off recruiting him over it. Purdue made the tournament Matt's junior year after winning final 7 games in 1991 with Jimmy Oliver. A guardless Purdue lost to Temple in 1st rd.

WOW how good would Purdue be with Jimmy Oliver on this team this year? I think the 91 Michigan/Purdue game at Michigan a Purdue win on ESPN in 91 is on youtube if you want to see Matt play.

As for Glenn Robinson I have many video tapes stored in a box of hi games his 2 years at Purdue. Pretty much all the BIG games. Unfortunately taped many of them on EP so quality today not very good. I have Glenn's first game against UConn. All the big games. The win at Michigan clinching Big 10 title. 41 pt game against Illini winning Big 10 title. All a much bigger deal as you still had NBA 1 year pros playing 2-3 years of college.

Glenn easily best player I saw at Purdue. That's the thing. If Glenn had come back his senior year. Purdue would have likely dominated college basketball 94-95. They won the Big 10. Brad Miller was a freshman center. In fact I'd argue Purdue may have went undefeated in 94-95. You would have had Glenn at PF, Miller at Center and Martin at SF. With Porter Roberts at point and Matt Waddell at 2G. Plus a deep bench with Brandon Brantley, Chad Austin, Herb Dove, Justin Jennings and Todd Foster. Roy Hairston likely not signed with Robinson back. That team went 25-7 (15-3). Yes I have an old 99 media guide with all the history.

Tell you how good Glenn was... I am in Indy. Purdue played Houston at Market Square arena in Dec 93. I got a die die hard IU fan who disliked Purdue to go see that game with me. Because he was a basketball fan first and wanted to see Glenn Robinson play live. Glenn's dunk in that game is on that highlight video.

BTW does anyone remember when Matt played at Purdue his senior year. They would always show his sister who was a younger student in the crowd. If you remember then you know why they showed her. I always wanted to call Matt's call in show and ask him about that. LOL

 

[PaBoiler78]

BTW does anyone remember when Matt played at Purdue his senior year. They would always show his sister who was a younger student in the crowd. If you remember then you know why they showed her. I always wanted to call Matt's call in show and ask him about that. LOL

Jimmy Oliver? I'll always remember that shot he made from the corner that beat Michigan.

 

[skfboiler]

Jimmy Oliver was the only player I ever saw that banked three pointers on purpose.

 

[PaBoiler78]

Jimmy Oliver was the only player I ever saw that banked three pointers on purpose.

yeah, and many of them were just left or right of the foul line. I remember Dukie Vitale saying on a telecast that Oliver does that on purpose after visiting w/ him during a practice session.

 

[ToddFosterakadirty]

yeah, and many of them were just left or right of the foul line. I remember Dukie Vitale saying on a telecast that Oliver does that on purpose after visiting w/ him during a practice session.

I watched him practice the 3 pointer bank over and over in practice. I have not seen a player before or after that time take these shots on purpose. He was the master. Also it was Painter's sophomore year when Oliver was a senior. Painter's junior year was a not very good Purdue team led by Woody Austin(we did however beat a good IU team to make the season a little more respectable).

 

[rwenger]

. Also it was Painter's sophomore year when Oliver was a senior. Painter's junior year was a not very good Purdue team led by Woody Austin(we did however beat a good IU team to make the season a little more respectable).

Ah yes,well I remember IU pasting us by about 30 maybe a couple weeks before that. Painter nearly mixed it up with Eric Andersen, who was carrin on. Matt's face wasof classic Hoosier disgruntlement. We didn't belong on the same court with that Hoosier squad. Of course, we beat them just days later. Typical Keady: Our wrong-side-of-the-track underdogs took down the glamour boys.

 

[ImRonBurgandy?]

Matt was an outstanding passer at Purdue. He came to Purdue during a few down years in recruiting. Matt was supposed to be a good outside shooter but he was inconsistent. Glenn had sit out his freshmen year due to that silly prop 48 rule. But then Glenn may have never played at Purdue as most big schools backed off recruiting him over it. Purdue made the tournament Matt's junior year after winning final 7 games in 1991 with Jimmy Oliver. A guardless Purdue lost to Temple in 1st rd.

WOW how good would Purdue be with Jimmy Oliver on this team this year? I think the 91 Michigan/Purdue game at Michigan a Purdue win on ESPN in 91 is on youtube if you want to see Matt play.

As for Glenn Robinson I have many video tapes stored in a box of hi games his 2 years at Purdue. Pretty much all the BIG games. Unfortunately taped many of them on EP so quality today not very good. I have Glenn's first game against UConn. All the big games. The win at Michigan clinching Big 10 title. 41 pt game against Illini winning Big 10 title. All a much bigger deal as you still had NBA 1 year pros playing 2-3 years of college.

Glenn easily best player I saw at Purdue. That's the thing. If Glenn had come back his senior year. Purdue would have likely dominated college basketball 94-95. They won the Big 10. Brad Miller was a freshman center. In fact I'd argue Purdue may have went undefeated in 94-95. You would have had Glenn at PF, Miller at Center and Martin at SF. With Porter Roberts at point and Matt Waddell at 2G. Plus a deep bench with Brandon Brantley, Chad Austin, Herb Dove, Justin Jennings and Todd Foster. Roy Hairston likely not signed with Robinson back. That team went 25-7 (15-3). Yes I have an old 99 media guide with all the history.

Tell you how good Glenn was... I am in Indy. Purdue played Houston at Market Square arena in Dec 93. I got a die die hard IU fan who disliked Purdue to go see that game with me. Because he was a basketball fan first and wanted to see Glenn Robinson play live. Glenn's dunk in that game is on that highlight video.

I was at that Houston game too and remember that dunk very well. There were about 10 dunks in that game. Loved Jimmy Oliver too. Glenn was going to leave no matter what, and while we can speculate about how good we would have been, what if the Fab 5 stayed together? What if Vince Carter & Rasheed Wallace didn't leave after their sophomore years? What if any of the past KY teams didn't have guys leave early. We may have won 1 NC, but many others would have won multiple. On another note, how good would have Purdue been if Woody hadn't been academically ineligible for the 2nd half of the season? That was really a shame. I'm not saying we would have won the national championship, but you'd have to think we would have been much more dangerous.

 

[88btfu92]

Was not around to watch him, but question to those who were: what was Matt Painter like as a player?

Has there been anybody on Purdue teams of late that can be compared to Painter as a player?

Matt coaches like he played. Not a put down, just an observation.

 

[rwenger]

No disrespect to Painter, but Mathias is much more athletic than Painter was.

Matt was a very good player in Keady's system, but the for the life of me I cannot imagine how we won so many d@mn games under Keady with the players he had....

Agreed. I recall a game in Big Dog's Prop 48 year where we were at assembly hall during Knight's last Final 4 team (Cheaney, Graham, Andersen, etc.). They were whipping us by about 30 when Paint and Eric Andersen got tangled up. The look on Paint's feathered hair face was pure disgust and anger! I thought, "Yep that is a mid state Hoosier lad, and he is no longer an IU fan!"

Ironically, couple weeks later, we squeaked by and won at home---another of Keady's miraculous wins where we didn't really belong on the same court with iu.

 

[rwenger]

Agreed. I recall a game in Big Dog's Prop 48 year where we were at assembly hall during Knight's last Final 4 team (Cheaney, Graham, Andersen, etc.). They were whipping us by about 30 when Paint and Eric Andersen got tangled up. The look on Paint's feathered hair face was pure disgust and anger! I thought, "Yep that is a mid state Hoosier lad, and he is no longer an IU fan!"

Ironically, couple weeks later, we squeaked by and won at home---another of Keady's miraculous wins where we didn't really belong on the same court with iu.

Holy cow, I just see I posted something nearly similar in '16! What does that tell you?

 

[Boiler Buck]

Was not around to watch him, but question to those who were: what was Matt Painter like as a player?

Has there been anybody on Purdue teams of late that can be compared to Painter as a player?

Morton

 

[bonefish1]

I played a lot of pickup basketball ball with Painter and you can't believe how good he was in those games. He didn't mix it up inside for fear of getting injury but from 30 feet he was automatic and he threw some of the best passes I have ever seen. It just goes to show you the level of competition that is high division one. We had a poly sci class together and the teacher asked if was an athlete for Purdue. With a straight face he replied no but he did play basketball for Purdue. He knew he was not an actual athlete.

Years ago, I was talking to Painter, might have been at a golf outing or something, and he said there was no way he would have been recruited by Purdue at that time. Wasn't a good enough athlete.

 

[Abugabby]

Interesting. I was at Purdue then and I don't remember him like that at all. Looking at his numbers, he had 367 shot attempts in 109 games (just over 3 per game in 18.1 minutes). Even as a senior, he only averaged 6 shots in 30.3 minutes.

Agreed...I don't remember him as a chucker at all. If memory serves I think I wanted him to shoot more. The first thing that pops into my head when I think of Painter the player was that his arms were too short for his body. I don't know why that sticks out.

 

[ImRonBurgandy?]

Truthfully, growing up as a kid watching him, i thought he sucked.

I probably would have more appreciation for him now.