I keep thinking about Trey Kaufman-Renn and Matt Painter's answer to him deciding to stick it out at Purdue. TKR was okay waiting for one year, if Zach Edey graduated as a season, but not two. Ultimately, that patience paid off. TKR got to start in a national title game as a sophomore, and a year later was a first team All-Big Ten center for Purdue.
I'm thinking about that conversation because how this early portal period is starting to look for Purdue because one thing seems very clear with who Purdue has targeted: Matt Painter isn't playing around. He's not trying to add to the edges, he's trying to put an all-time team together by adding another starter to what looks like the first or second best team in the country as is. Depending on how this next week or so works out and who Purdue does add, there's going to be some potentially tough questions for Purdue's younger players to answer.
But first let's take a look at two players who had Purdue considered, but have chosen to go elsewhere.
Elijah Saunders | Virginia Wing/Forward
John Camden | Delaware forward
Opposite archetypes, Camden and Saunders were both potential wing/forwards, but not sure either were great fits. Saunders certainly would have added some size and defense, and Camden has a lot of offensive firepower to his game, but both are probably best at the four. I'm not sure how many minutes there are available for someone at that spot, so some of the bigger names were probably not going to get the kind of role they'd want at Purdue.
Camden has chosen to go to California. Saunders will head to the Big Ten, but it will be at Maryland for new coach Buzz Williams as he starts to rebuild the Terrapins back up after losing its coach.
Kennard Davis Jr. | Southern Illinois wing
Davis still remains the cleanest fit to me for Purdue. With two years of eligibility left, he doesn't necessarily need to be chasing starting minutes and can help in the transition to life without Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer, and TKR next season as well. He's also a more classic wing where Purdue's minutes remain the most up for grabs.
But all eyes are on Tel Aviv's Omer Mayer who flashed his potential this last week at the Hoop Summit in Portland.
Omer Mayer | Tel Aviv guard
Mayer doesn't immediatley make sense on paper as Purdue appears to be set in the back court with Smith, Loyer, Cox, West, Harris, and Benter, but Mayer is Painter swinging for the fences. Mayer has history tied to Purdue - he's been playing the Euroleague, the same league that both Carsen Edwards and Trevion Williams have been competing in. As well, he's played on Trevion Williams' team in Tel Aviv.
Mayer is visiting Purdue this weekend. Mayer isn't just good. He's a day one starter. He's a potential NBA Guard. He has great shot making and play making skills with the ball, something Painter values next to Smith and Loyer even if it seems redundant with how much the ball is in the hands of Smith and TKR.
But this is how you make a great team into something all-time. The appeal for Mayer would be to play right away, for a national title, and then either flirt with the NBA or be prepared to come back and take over the offense at Purdue in his second season.
Mayer's addition would be seismic. It would probably set off some chain reactions with the roster, but it would also vault, in my opinion, Purdue into the without a doubt best team in the country. That's how good Mayer is.
Mayer is the domino to drop for Purdue right now. I don't expect any major roster changes untill Mayer decides. He could change the entire landscape of college basketball by loading up Purdue's backcourt with another elite guard.
We'll have more news as we learn it.
I'm thinking about that conversation because how this early portal period is starting to look for Purdue because one thing seems very clear with who Purdue has targeted: Matt Painter isn't playing around. He's not trying to add to the edges, he's trying to put an all-time team together by adding another starter to what looks like the first or second best team in the country as is. Depending on how this next week or so works out and who Purdue does add, there's going to be some potentially tough questions for Purdue's younger players to answer.
But first let's take a look at two players who had Purdue considered, but have chosen to go elsewhere.
Elijah Saunders | Virginia Wing/Forward
John Camden | Delaware forward
Opposite archetypes, Camden and Saunders were both potential wing/forwards, but not sure either were great fits. Saunders certainly would have added some size and defense, and Camden has a lot of offensive firepower to his game, but both are probably best at the four. I'm not sure how many minutes there are available for someone at that spot, so some of the bigger names were probably not going to get the kind of role they'd want at Purdue.
Camden has chosen to go to California. Saunders will head to the Big Ten, but it will be at Maryland for new coach Buzz Williams as he starts to rebuild the Terrapins back up after losing its coach.
Kennard Davis Jr. | Southern Illinois wing
Davis still remains the cleanest fit to me for Purdue. With two years of eligibility left, he doesn't necessarily need to be chasing starting minutes and can help in the transition to life without Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer, and TKR next season as well. He's also a more classic wing where Purdue's minutes remain the most up for grabs.
But all eyes are on Tel Aviv's Omer Mayer who flashed his potential this last week at the Hoop Summit in Portland.
Omer Mayer | Tel Aviv guard
Mayer doesn't immediatley make sense on paper as Purdue appears to be set in the back court with Smith, Loyer, Cox, West, Harris, and Benter, but Mayer is Painter swinging for the fences. Mayer has history tied to Purdue - he's been playing the Euroleague, the same league that both Carsen Edwards and Trevion Williams have been competing in. As well, he's played on Trevion Williams' team in Tel Aviv.
Mayer is visiting Purdue this weekend. Mayer isn't just good. He's a day one starter. He's a potential NBA Guard. He has great shot making and play making skills with the ball, something Painter values next to Smith and Loyer even if it seems redundant with how much the ball is in the hands of Smith and TKR.
But this is how you make a great team into something all-time. The appeal for Mayer would be to play right away, for a national title, and then either flirt with the NBA or be prepared to come back and take over the offense at Purdue in his second season.
Mayer's addition would be seismic. It would probably set off some chain reactions with the roster, but it would also vault, in my opinion, Purdue into the without a doubt best team in the country. That's how good Mayer is.
Mayer is the domino to drop for Purdue right now. I don't expect any major roster changes untill Mayer decides. He could change the entire landscape of college basketball by loading up Purdue's backcourt with another elite guard.
We'll have more news as we learn it.
