Breakdown: Purdue recruiting targets on Tuesday at the adidas 3SSB event

ROCK HILL, S.C. — College coaches weren’t allowed in yet — the evaluation period starts Wednesday — but the adidas 3SSB Palmetto Road championships event opened Tuesday with a day full of showcase games, a warmup of sorts for the tournament play to come.

Palmetto Road is loaded with Purdue 2025 and 2026 targets and prospects.

Here are four thoughts and/or notes on the day’s action.

STEVEN REYNOLDS III DRIVES A BIG WIN

Phenom United’s 16U team, with Boilermaker 2026 priority Steven Reynolds III of South Bend, didn’t have a great spring on this high-level circuit, but Tuesday, it had a moment.

Rallying from nearly 20 down against Team Loaded of Virginia, one of this circuit’s name-brand programs, Phenom United surged to an 83-72 win.

DeZahn Hall led Phenom with 25, but it was Reynolds who loomed largest, making a pair of difficult threes in crunch time, then a pair of important free throws, to keep Team Loaded at arm’s length.

In so doing, Reynolds again showed himself to be a high-level shot-creator and in this case, shot-maker. His multi-faceted scoring skillset translated to this physical game and is the reason Purdue, among others, have made him a focus for the ’26 class.

“That’s the word on the block,” Reynolds said when asked about the notion his extensive connections to Purdue and the proximity of near-by Notre Dame may close off others. “But I’m definitely open to other schools for sure, which is no slight to Notre Dame or Purdue. Those are great schools and great programs, but if other schools want to build a relationship, it’s definitely wide open.”

That has been Reynolds’ consistent message when discussing Purdue, where two of his sisters are part of the women’s basketball program, with a third potentially on the way.

Purdue has been talking to Reynolds about making a visit, maybe an official visit in the fall. He’s been to West Lafayette multiple times.

PURDUE TARGET ANTHONY THOMPSON IS REALLY EMERGING

Now getting flooded with high-major offers, Ohio’s Anthony Thompson may be poised for a big July, as the 6-foot-8ish wing — a year young for his grade — is a really high-end shooter in a huge, and developing, body. Think William Buford, perhaps.

Tuesday, Thompson made 4-of-6 threes in his one game of the day and looked more assertive and fluid in shooting and doing so on the move.

Purdue has recruited Thompson, now at Western Reserve Academy in Ohio, for some time, but just offered a scholarship last month.

“They’ve been telling me about my versatility, my ability to play all positions and guard all positions,” Thompson said. “They think I can help them space the floor.”

Ohio State, Indiana and Cincinnati have been among those targeting Thompson for a while, while Notre Dame, Iowa and Missouri joined a robust fray lately, too.

Thompson said he’s not dedicated much attention yet to the recruiting process and is more in relationship-building mode than anything.

PURDUE 2025 TARGETS RETURN TO ACTION

After bouts with a concussion and pneumonia, respectively, at the end of June, Braylon Mullins and Trent Sisley are both full-go with Indiana Elite 2025 this week. Both players have Purdue offers and are among a tight circle of targets.

But Mullins and Sisley and Co. absorbed a rare loss Tuesday, courtesy of 23 turnovers vs. Phenom United’s athletic and aggressive 17-year-old team, led by five-star Darryn Peterson (38 points).

Mullins, fresh off a spring eruption that made him one of the most-talked-about players in his class and a target of nearly everyone, scored 16, on 4-of-15 shooting; Sisley was 3-of-9, with 11 points and seven rebounds. There were seven turnovers between them.

It was a difficult outing, but a reset comes soon, as Indiana Elite enters tournament play as a legitimate contender to win the week.

We’ll have more on Mullins and Sisley tomorrow.

TAYLEN KINNEY IS BIG-TIME

Wildcat Select’s Taylen Kinney starred in his team’s cozy win over New World today, scoring 21 points with five assists and no turnovers. He was 3-of-10 from the floor but made 2-of-3 from three and simply decided to go to the foul line whenever he wanted, finishing 13-of-16 at the stripe. The ’26 point guard from Newport, Ky., is pretty quick and fast for a bigger point guard, but also uses his sturdy physique and long arms impeccably when attacking the paint. He has a real explosive twitch to him and acrobatic knack around the rim.

But he’s also creative enough with the ball and tight enough handling it to shake defenders to set up jumpers, which he makes at a pretty high rate, both off the dribble or catch.

Kinney just tried out for USA Basketball’s 17-and-under national team, the invite alone being another validation point for Kinney as one of the top guards in the 2026 class.

Purdue has been a major player for Kinney in the early stages of what will be a highly competitive recruitment, selling the opportunity to step right into Braden Smith‘s role and usage from Day 1.

P.J. Thompson, Purdue’s offensive play-caller and a former point guard himself, is recruiting KInney.

See what Kinney had to say about Purdue and more in the video interview above.

Stay tuned for much more from Rock Hill throughout the week.