Welcome to my team preview series for 2024-25. Each day between now and the start of the college basketball season, I will preview one team or conference, both on Instagram (@collegehoopsoutlet) and through an article here. The preview will go in-depth on the roster build of the team, my expectations for their upcoming season, and the state of the program under their current head coach.
Purdue (Projected: 1st in B1G)
Matt Painter has run the most consistent program in the Big Ten over the last nine seasons, claiming a top five seed in every NCAA Tournament over that span and finishing with a conference record of 12-6 or better in all but one season. He has also established continuity and development within his program, in a time where the transfer portal has consumed entire teams. There’s a certain 7-4, two-time National Player of the Year that left the program this offseason, but the internal development should pay off in filling the giant gap.
With no incoming transfers for Purdue, I’ll get the list of outgoing players out of the way at the start of this preview. The aforementioned Zach Edey (25 ppg, 12 rpg) is the single greatest loss any team suffered this offseason, coming off of two dominant NPOY campaigns. Alongside Edey, seniors Lance Jones (12 ppg), Mason Gillis (7 ppg, 4 rpg), and Ethan Morton (1 ppg) all left the program.
Headlining the returners for the Boilermakers is junior guard Braden Smith (12 ppg, 6 rpg, 8 apg), a two-year starter for two different Big Ten regular season champion and #1 seeded teams. Smith improved in every aspect of his game from his freshman to sophomore season, highlighted by his increased three-point percentage (43.1%) and assists per game (7.5 apg). While Edey’s departure definitely hurts the number of open threes and easy assists for Smith, I think he’s still a highly talented guard who has had two full years of experience at Purdue. The shouts for Preseason Big Ten Player of the Year are more than warranted for Smith, and I’m excited to see if he can become more of a scorer with Edey out of the picture. This team will rely on Smith heavily, but it’ll be up to the guys around him to lift this team’s ceiling.
Fletcher Loyer (10 ppg) is the most prominent guy surrounding Smith, a fellow junior and two-year starter in the backcourt. Loyer broke out as an efficient three-point shooter (44.4% 3P) as a sophomore, but the rest of his game didn’t make the jump that many thought it would. Now with two full years under his belt, there will be real pressure on Loyer to step up and be the right-hand man to Smith in the backcourt. Alongside Smith and Loyer, sophomore Myles Colvin (3 ppg) returns in the backcourt after a promising freshman campaign. Likely being catapulted into a starting role, Colvin will have a lot more on his plate as a sophomore. The promising aspect is once again his shooting, with Colvin hitting 41.4% of his three-point attempts last season.
The Boilermakers’ frontcourt has a fair number of returners as well, highlighted by junior forward Trey Kaufman-Renn (6 ppg, 4 rpg). Kaufmann-Renn started all 39 games for the Boilermakers last season and should now be the focal point of the Boilermakers’ frontcourt with Zach Edey gone. Camden Heide (3 ppg) was another promising freshman last season, appearing off the bench in all 39 games and an efficient shooter from the field. Heide will likely be the fifth starter for the Boilermakers, earning the nod over senior forward Caleb Furst (2 ppg). Furst had been pegged for a breakout year in each of the previous two offseason, but things never fell his way in the frontcourt. Will Berg (3 ppg) a sophomore Swedish center who stands at 7-2, could fill the physical void left by Edey, but is probably a year away from having a fraction of the impact that Edey had the past two seasons. Junior forward Brian Waddell (1 ppg) also returns for the Boilermakers, likely set for a depth role once again at Purdue.
Instead of using the transfer portal, Matt Painter hit the recruiting trails hard, landing five freshmen in the class of 2024. Gicarri Harris (4*, NAT 77) will likely be the most impactful of the class in their first year on campus. Harris should be able to contribute scoring as a freshman and will be a fine option as a secondary ball handler when on the floor. Raleigh Burgess (4*, NAT 118) could be another freshman in the rotation, a skilled forward at 6-11. Daniel Jacobsen (3*, NAT 148) will be one to watch for the future, a 7-3 big man who could be next in line behind Will Berg. Guards Jack Benter (3*, NAT 245) and CJ Cox (3*, NAT 254) are also a part of the freshmen class, although they likely won’t see big minutes as freshmen.
In November, Matt Painter will begin his 20th season in charge at Purdue, having established himself as one of the elite coaches in college basketball and finally getting the Final Four monkey off his back. With Zach Edey gone, it may take the Boilermakers a couple games to adjust, but I have full confidence in Painter and his player development to create a team that can compete at the top of the Big Ten this season.
Braden Smith will be the lead guy for Purdue this season, no question about it. Smith should have the ball in his hands every possession and will be counted on to score or create on nearly every possession. My X-factor for Purdue comes from the frontcourt in junior forward Trey Kaufman-Renn. I think he’s a guy who could breakout with Edey’s production lost in the frontcourt, and I think it’s extremely important for Purdue that he turns into a 13 & 8 guy, compared to last year’s 6 ppg and 4 rpg. If the Purdue guards continue to shoot the ball as well as they did last season, the pressure to be good enough in the frontcourt will fall on the shoulders of Kaufmann-Renn, Heide, Furst, and Berg.
As back-to-back Big Ten regular season champions, the Purdue Boilermakers will now have the expectation to compete and win the title each year. Even with Edey gone, this is a team that has enough continuity to fill the gaps and win the conference once again. I have to put my trust into Matt Painter and his ability to develop players internally, and I think the Boilermakers get the job done and win the Big Ten regular season for the third season in a row.