Early impressions of Purdue's freshmen: "Right away, you notice how skilled they all are"
It’s no secret that Matt Painter and the Boilermakers will lean on more than half of the program’s freshmen to navigate the upcoming season.
What are the early impressions?
“They play well above their age in terms of … it doesn’t look like their first year of playing college ball,” senior Caleb Furst said.
Here’s Trey Kaufman-Renn on perimeter standouts C.J. Cox and Gicarri Harris.
“Those guys bring something that we need right away,” he said.
More from Kaufman-Renn on forward Raleigh Burgess.
“He just fits our mold,” he said. “He’s a through and through Purdue basketball player.”
Not every player from the five-member class will see action this season. Cox, Harris, and big man Daniel Jacobsen have shown enough throughout the summer and official practices to earn spots in the rotation likely.
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Burgess and shooting guard Jack Benter could be headed toward redshirt years, but those decisions likely won’t be made until closer to the season opener in early November.
Cox and Harris have been the most impressive.
Both are challenging for a starting spot and are expected to see minutes from the opening game. More will be learned Saturday when the Boilermakers face Creighton in a charity exhibition game in Omaha. Jacobson gives Painter another 7-footer, but he’s more mobile and can play inside or outside, creating matchup challenges for opponents and intriguing combinations for the coaching staff.
Each one brings similar qualities.
“Right away, you notice how skilled they all are,” junior guard Fletcher Loyer said. “I think all of them can contribute to any college team and I think once you figure out our system and how we play and how we compete against other teams, how hard you have to play, I think they’ll express that skill. All of them can really play.”
Cox’s shot-making ability in the midrange game was on display during Saturday’s Fan Day at Mackey Arena, while Harris brings a physical presence on the defensive end with his strength and quickness. Benter has showcased his perimeter shooting skills, but he’s likely to sit out this season.
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“Obviously, C.J. is a big-time shot-maker, and Gicarri, he’s already one of the better defenders, especially with schematic things,” Kaufman-Renn said. “He has to work on some things, but on-ball pressure, he’s easily ready. He’s an elite defender.”
And Cox has demonstrated his shot-making ability since arriving on campus in June. He drained a couple of 3-pointers with the shot clock expiring during the scrimmage, but can also isolate a defender and attack the rim.
“He can shoot the crap out of the ball,” point guard Braden Smith said. “He’s super aggressive as well. That’s what we want from him and what he’s really good at.”
Loyer, though, said Harris is a “complete player” who should excel at both ends of the floor.
“He can guard, he can pass, he can handle the ball and play with a lot of different groups of people,” Loyer said. “For him to go out there and compete and play hard is what’s been separating him.”
