Photo: Purdue
With Purdue basketball set to officially open preseason practice on Oct. 14, we are keeping busy with a series making projections on each of Purdue's scholarship players, keeping in mind that we are basing such things off less than ever because of this bizarro world off-season. Please keep in mind that more in unknown — to people like us and maybe even to coaches and such — than ever before heading into a season.
Anyway, we continue today with Brandon Newman, one of Purdue's two redshirt freshmen..
Prior Editions: Trevion Williams | Eric Hunter | Aaron Wheeler | Sasha Stefanovic | Isaiah Thompson | Emmanuel Dowuona
The point in his career
Newman's one of two Boilermakers probably very eager to emerge from redshirt and get back on the court competitively. He was physically equipped to help Purdue right away last season, it seemed, but his learning curve was steep and that's why Matt Painter proposed the redshirt option, hoping it would pay off down the line. Now, it's down the line, and Newman enters a backcourt mix that needs to be better than last season, but has a lot of good options, him being one, it's hoped.
Projected role
Categorize Purdue's guards like this: Ball-handlers and off-the-ball players. Eric Hunter, Jaden Ivey, Isaiah Thompson and Ethan Morton are the former, and Sasha Stefanovic and Newman the latter, wings if you will. Stefanovic is one of the likely locks — yes, I know "likely lock" is a contradiction — for a starting position, but there will be minutes there for Newman to claim, with the other option being for Purdue to play one of the other four at the 3. At this stage of his career, Newman is a catch-and-shoot threat and potentially another really good shooter for Purdue but we'll see how it translates right away. Truth be told, he does bring some physical characteristics that Stefanovic may lack and that could give him a little more upside defensively, at least from a physical perspective, which says nothing of know-how. Newman is known as a competitor and a high-effort sort, and that always is a good way to earn minutes. Point is, the door is very much open for him to earn a pretty prominent role, but he will have to earn it.
Best case scenario
Best case, Newman is an efficient shooter who plays to his strengths in that regard and worries most about what he does best. Meanwhile, the best case would involve him acclimating well to college defense and structure and giving Purdue a spark with his effort and competitiveness as a consummate 3-and-D sort of player.
Worst case scenario
The worst case would be Newman being an inefficient shooter — and things don't always translate immediately in that sense as players think sometimes too much when they're younger or are simply tentative or lack confidence — but also prone to delving away from his strengths. He's aways been highly motivated to prove he's more than just a shooter, and that's admirable, but you never want to negate your strengths in the name of doing more. Additionally, the defensive end is extremely important and it's not always effort that determines success, but rather one's ability to function in structure and handle assignments. That's what Newman redshirted in the first place, more than anything at least.
Reasonable expectations
Newman's certainly capable of helping this team, and there is certainly an import role there to be had. The guess here is he pushes for double-digit minutes, plays hard, makes some mistakes along the way and some ups and downs as a shooter as young guys often do, but has a pretty decent impact on Purdue nonetheless, and a brighter future ahead.
