Purdue Recruiting Roundup: The spring evaluation period
With this past weekend’s spring evaluation period now over, GoldandBlack.com takes a quick look around at some of Purdue’s basketball recruiting themes, topics and targets for these next few cycles to come.
WHAT HAPPENED THIS WEEKEND
Head coach Matt Painter is believed to have spent his entire weekend at adidas’ 3SSB event near College Station, as could have been predicted considering that Purdue’s recruiting outlook these next two or three cycles appear inordinately adidas circuit-heavy.
Notably, Painter was joined in Texas by P.J. Thompson, who has now ascended to being one of Purdue’s four designated fully privileged recruiters. Previously, he could only recruit on campus or over the phone. He replaces assistant coach Terry Johnson in this sense in what might be a practicality-driven move by Painter, as Johnson figures to get a head coaching job soon. Thompson figures prominently into Purdue’s staff structure for years to come, so it clearly makes sense to put him in on the ground floor on players he will A) recruit but also B) maybe one day coach.
Priority No. 1 for Thompson may/should be Class of 2026 point guard Taylen Kinney, who he was already leading the effort on. It is a matter of significant importance for Purdue to get a true point guard in the class that arrives right after Braden Smith departs, and clearly Kinney is going to be one of the first priorities, with Purdue now having a pretty strong template to sell after Smith presumably goes on to finish off a great Boilermaker career.
While Painter and Thompson posted up in Bryan, Texas, all weekend (we think), assistant coaches Brandon Brantley and Paul Lusk patrolled the Nike EYBL event in the Indianapolis area, focusing mostly on watching underclassmen, as Purdue again has the luxury to do with only one scholarship to fill in the 2025 class.
PURDUE AND 2025 RECRUITING
It is well known that Southern Indiana forward Trent Sisley is really Purdue’s only established, realistic target from this rising senior class, but that doesn’t mean he’ll be the only one or that this class will be Sisley or bust.
Purdue has the rest of the spring and all summer to keep playing the field while continuing to recruit Sisley. There will be the scholastic evaluation period in June, then the July period in, well, July.
Painter has long sought a forward for his lone (as of now) scholarship for ’25, but with a quite versatile roster coming together, there may not be any real four-alarm-fire needs for a team that could be Final Four good that year.
Keep in mind, too, that Purdue has six freshmen coming in and it’s all but certain there will be at least one, more likely two, redshirts, so those players would be a recruiting class unto themselves with whoever signs on. And while Purdue isn’t going to build around transfers, if there’s flexibility available to try to find a Lance Jones, that would have to be explored.
Point is, there’s only one scholarship, but a lot of ways that could go.
That said, Purdue absolutely, positively wants Sisley. Painter has been to Santa Claus countless times, including a ho-ho-home visit a few weeks back and undoubtedly was glued to Sisley’s Indiana Elite games this weekend.
Meanwhile in Indy, Purdue coaches watched Ohio guard Antione West several times, as it seems to be genuinely interested in the Toledo Whitmer (Ryne Smith’s school) star. Something to keep an eye on, for sure.
Coaches have remained involved with Chicagoland wing Ian Militec and Cincinnati area forward EJ Walker.
Purdue has also maintained a presence on the periphery of in-state wing Braylon Mullins and could conceivably plunk down an offer, even though Mullins is pretty far down the road with Indiana and Notre Dame and potentially about to get a broader range of offers this summer.
NAMES TO KNOW IN 2026
It is really early with the 2026 class, but Purdue is good at early.
Here are some clear targets worth knowing.
• PG Taylen KinneyIt wouldn’t be overstatement to put this one at A1 priority level to stay.• Wing Steven ReynoldsThe South Bend Washington star who’s going to have sisters all over Purdue’s women’s basketball roster before long is more a scorer than any particular position. Purdue’s got to find its next generation of scorers and Reynolds already has an offer.• Wing Anthony ThompsonPurdue hasn’t offered the highly advanced 15-year-old small forward yet, but will be drawn to his shooting and immense potential.• Forward Bo OgdenThe Texas forward and son of former college head coach and current Texas staffer Chris Ogden is on Purdue’s radar and clearly a high-level prospect.• Guards Gabe Sularski and Jon SandersonBoth fielded early Purdue offers. Time will ultimately tell where they fall on Purdue’s priority scale.• Forward E.J. HazeletteThe versatile forward will merit a real look from the near-by high-majors.• Guard Luke ErtelThe guard and former quarterback from Mount Vernon is a gamer, likely to be recruited as a point guard, but versatile enough as a shooter, defender and physical presence to play either backcourt spot to maximize ball-handling. He’s the sort of winning-qualities prospect Purdue is often drawn to. He is 17, but a 2026 player playing with the 2025 class, so Purdue’s seeing him every time it watches Sisley.
As of now, 2026 is slated to be a four-man class as Smith, Fletcher Loyer, Trey Kaufman-Renn and Brian Waddell are that class’ departing seniors.
The post Purdue Recruiting Roundup: The spring evaluation period appeared first on On3.
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