The summer is over, and quite a summer it was. Instead of spending weeks of my June and July covering events spanning multiple cities, I sent maybe a total of 12 hours over three or four different events, seeing mostly one-sided grassroots games while leering suspiciously at everyone who walked by me out of fear of their viral loads.
What a weird world.
Anyway, this summer sucked from a basketball recruiting perspective. But that’s the least of the world’s problems.
Anyway, with this summer mercifully put out of his sniffly, fevery misery, I figured I’d sum things up with a couple thoughts on a few of the players I did get to see play in mostly blowouts. These are just general thoughts, because what’s the point of me having thoughts if I don’t type them out and publish them, am I right?
Players who can shoot and pass and dribble and have MENSA-type basketball IQs tend to fit well anywhere, but they also scream ‘Purdue’ and I don’t know if I’ve seen many players lately who so obviously would fit like a glove at Purdue than Loyer would.
Look, Ryan Cline and Dakota Mathias weren’t necessarily superstars at Purdue, but they were outstanding, outstanding college players whose respective potential was maxed out in the Boilermaker program, because the areas where they provided value lined up with everything their coach valued. Both were tailor-made for motion offense, for sharing the basketball, valuing possessions and not turning the ball over. They were excellent cognitively. In short, they were Matt Painter’s teacher’s pets as basketball players.
Loyer, in my opinion, may be better than both of them at this stage of his career, and I think he may have an even more diverse portfolio, because I think he can be a legit combo guard. Defensively, there may be some questions, but he seems smart enough to anticipate things, has quick hands and a quick mind and seems like the sort of guy who’ll be prepared, if nothing else.
Purdue’s going to be a player long-term for Loyer, I would think, and Purdue should do freaking cartwheels if it can get him, because I think he’d have a chance to be special offensively. Maybe not like 20-a-game special, but impactful in the way Mathias and Cline were, not only with their shooting, but all else they provided that helped make some really potent offenses go.
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2022/cj-gunn-268845
The guard from Lawrence North is an offer-caliber player for Purdue, IMO, who just hasn’t been offered yet. With in-state players, Matt Painter normally gets out to see them during the high school season, but with Gunn I’m not sure there’s been a lot to see. He’s been hurt and his opportunities have been limited for a loaded prep team to this point anyway.
But his Kansas State offer is not the only high-major offer he’ll get. It’s just a matter of time.
He’s legit 6-foot-4, shoots well enough from three, really finishes at the rim, creates his own shots off the dribble, makes mid-range shots and just has a cleverness about him in the lane and at the basket that stands out. He’s a dedicated scorer. There are some modest parallels to be drawn with Jaden Ivey, but I think Ivey may be a little quicker and more explosive.
Gunn seems to have a competitive streak to him, as well, never a bad thing.
Purdue is being patient with him, but I’d imagine they will recruit him very seriously in the meantime until it gets a chance to see him live again, whenever that may be.
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2022/jack-karasinski-268797
I don’t know what level the wing forward/Swiss Army Knife from Grand Rapids necessarily projects to right now, but years ago when Purdue signed Ryne Smith, someone said of him that he was probably a first-team All-MAC player who could be an impact player in a role at a higher level, which he was.
That comes to mind regarding Karasinski, who plays really hard — in non-competitive grassroots games no less — and makes pull-up jumpers and threes with a Robbie Hummel-like delivery.
Karasinski seems like a guy who might be able to guard a few different positions, and his energy would translate to all of them, and shotmakers are obviously attractive.
In a big class, this might be the sort of player Purdue takes a really long look at as a potentially really good program guy, and I say that knowing I might be selling him short. Had I seen him play consistently high-level competitive, I might have a better read on what his outlook for high-major offers may be.
I’d recruit him very seriously if I were Purdue.
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2022/kebba-njie-269332
The 2022 big man who’s now bound for LaLumiere is a really interesting prospect with a lot of JaJuan Johnson in him at the same stage. Raw as hell and still a bit tentative at times, but one of those guys who could blow up at any second once it clicks. He’s a good rebounder, can block shots and runs well, but he can also drive some off the dribble and shoot mid-range jumpers with a nice stroke and soft touch. He’s gonna get bigger.
Tough to offer a guy like that now, and we’ll see what he does this year at LaLu, but I’d think he may be a front-burner sort of guy to make a decision on late this high school season or next spring. It’ll be interesting to see how much he plays at LaLumiere, because I think he’s a center all the way and they just picked up Purdue 2022 target Vincent Iwuchukwu, as well.
What a weird world.
Anyway, this summer sucked from a basketball recruiting perspective. But that’s the least of the world’s problems.
Anyway, with this summer mercifully put out of his sniffly, fevery misery, I figured I’d sum things up with a couple thoughts on a few of the players I did get to see play in mostly blowouts. These are just general thoughts, because what’s the point of me having thoughts if I don’t type them out and publish them, am I right?
Players who can shoot and pass and dribble and have MENSA-type basketball IQs tend to fit well anywhere, but they also scream ‘Purdue’ and I don’t know if I’ve seen many players lately who so obviously would fit like a glove at Purdue than Loyer would.
Look, Ryan Cline and Dakota Mathias weren’t necessarily superstars at Purdue, but they were outstanding, outstanding college players whose respective potential was maxed out in the Boilermaker program, because the areas where they provided value lined up with everything their coach valued. Both were tailor-made for motion offense, for sharing the basketball, valuing possessions and not turning the ball over. They were excellent cognitively. In short, they were Matt Painter’s teacher’s pets as basketball players.
Loyer, in my opinion, may be better than both of them at this stage of his career, and I think he may have an even more diverse portfolio, because I think he can be a legit combo guard. Defensively, there may be some questions, but he seems smart enough to anticipate things, has quick hands and a quick mind and seems like the sort of guy who’ll be prepared, if nothing else.
Purdue’s going to be a player long-term for Loyer, I would think, and Purdue should do freaking cartwheels if it can get him, because I think he’d have a chance to be special offensively. Maybe not like 20-a-game special, but impactful in the way Mathias and Cline were, not only with their shooting, but all else they provided that helped make some really potent offenses go.
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2022/cj-gunn-268845
The guard from Lawrence North is an offer-caliber player for Purdue, IMO, who just hasn’t been offered yet. With in-state players, Matt Painter normally gets out to see them during the high school season, but with Gunn I’m not sure there’s been a lot to see. He’s been hurt and his opportunities have been limited for a loaded prep team to this point anyway.
But his Kansas State offer is not the only high-major offer he’ll get. It’s just a matter of time.
He’s legit 6-foot-4, shoots well enough from three, really finishes at the rim, creates his own shots off the dribble, makes mid-range shots and just has a cleverness about him in the lane and at the basket that stands out. He’s a dedicated scorer. There are some modest parallels to be drawn with Jaden Ivey, but I think Ivey may be a little quicker and more explosive.
Gunn seems to have a competitive streak to him, as well, never a bad thing.
Purdue is being patient with him, but I’d imagine they will recruit him very seriously in the meantime until it gets a chance to see him live again, whenever that may be.
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2022/jack-karasinski-268797
I don’t know what level the wing forward/Swiss Army Knife from Grand Rapids necessarily projects to right now, but years ago when Purdue signed Ryne Smith, someone said of him that he was probably a first-team All-MAC player who could be an impact player in a role at a higher level, which he was.
That comes to mind regarding Karasinski, who plays really hard — in non-competitive grassroots games no less — and makes pull-up jumpers and threes with a Robbie Hummel-like delivery.
Karasinski seems like a guy who might be able to guard a few different positions, and his energy would translate to all of them, and shotmakers are obviously attractive.
In a big class, this might be the sort of player Purdue takes a really long look at as a potentially really good program guy, and I say that knowing I might be selling him short. Had I seen him play consistently high-level competitive, I might have a better read on what his outlook for high-major offers may be.
I’d recruit him very seriously if I were Purdue.
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2022/kebba-njie-269332
The 2022 big man who’s now bound for LaLumiere is a really interesting prospect with a lot of JaJuan Johnson in him at the same stage. Raw as hell and still a bit tentative at times, but one of those guys who could blow up at any second once it clicks. He’s a good rebounder, can block shots and runs well, but he can also drive some off the dribble and shoot mid-range jumpers with a nice stroke and soft touch. He’s gonna get bigger.
Tough to offer a guy like that now, and we’ll see what he does this year at LaLu, but I’d think he may be a front-burner sort of guy to make a decision on late this high school season or next spring. It’ll be interesting to see how much he plays at LaLumiere, because I think he’s a center all the way and they just picked up Purdue 2022 target Vincent Iwuchukwu, as well.
