Purdue center Will Berg ready for opportunity after two years battling Zach Edey

Will Berg still leaves practice sore after going against Trey Kaufman-Renn, Daniel Jacobsen and the other big men on the roster.

But it’s not Zach Edey delivering the soreness. There’s a difference.

Dealing with Edey and his 7-foot-4 physical frame left Berg with more scratches than bruises during each practice for two years, including the offseason.  

“He’s more of a hitter,” the 7-2 Berg said about Edey, the No. 9 overall pick by the Memphis Grizzlies in last summer’s NBA Draft. “His shoulder, ‘Oh, my god, my rib cage.’  I’m not going to lie. A couple of times I thought I broke a couple of ribs. I probably didn’t.”

However, the physical play in practice hasn’t stopped because that’s how coach Matt Painter and his staff have built and maintained the program. Berg now deals with a different type of physicality.

“It’s a different type of soreness, but it’s still there. You know how Purdue is,” Berg said.

The last two years of battling Edey should prepare Berg for a more impactful role on this year’s team. The Boilermakers will be different without Edey, but Painter still has big men on his roster and will continue to seek ways to feature an advantage inside.

MORE: News, notes and observations from Day 1 | The 3-2-1: Time is now for Purdue

Berg now deals with Kaufman-Renn, a physical player who can leave enough bruises and scratches to match Edey. And Berg is learning from Kaufman-Renn but will try to use the lessons administered by Edey to stay ahead of the competition.

“I do miss it, but it’s also a little bit of a relief,” Berg said. “At the same time, it was good to have him around because you had to box out and play defense with Zach. One thing he taught me was playing tired and having the same discipline.”

Fletcher Loyer called Berg “impressive” during the offseason workouts and the practice sessions the Boilermakers have been through. Loyer said Berg’s ability to set screens and defend has been good, partly because of the effort the native of Sweden brings to every drill.

Loyer understands it’s been tough for Berg to sit behind Edey but believes he’ll use those experiences to his advantage.

“You see in practice he wants to play, he wants to be on the floor and help us win,” Loyer said. “You’ve watched one of the best college basketball players of all time, and you think, ‘Man, I want to go play. ‘

“Ultimately, Zach was best for Purdue. He learned a lot from Zach, he learned a lot from coach (Brandon Brantley), and now it’s about putting it all together.”

During the last two years, Berg believes he’s made the most strides on the defensive end, putting more effort into that side of the ball and improving his passing skills.

“When I was younger, I could cruise being tall and contesting shots and stuff,” he said. “I’ve learned to put effort into defense, actually read people, lock down my guy, and do whatever is needed in coverage. My passing has become incredible because I had to pass over a 7-4 guy in practice.”

Berg learned from Edey not only on the court but also off the floor. They were roommates last year and Berg was able to “pick his brain” nearly every day to gain an edge this season.

Is eating sushi part of that edge, something Edey did daily? Berg was brought into Edey’s inner sushi circle and plans to lean on that knowledge.

“It’s different not having him there ordering his DoorDash four times a day and cleaning up after him a little bit,” Berg said. “He opened the doors for me. He put me on his secret spots and his favorite restaurants. He helped me find the right stuff.”

Berg, though, isn’t sharing those locations.

“No. That’s like a magician telling people how his magic tricks work,” he said.

But there’s nothing magical about what Berg must do to earn minutes for Painter and the Boilermakers. He’s more than prepared after dealing with Edey for the last two years, and it’s time for him to take advantage of the moment.

“At the end of the day, I’m going to be as prepared as I can,” Berg said. “He’s helped me a lot with that. I’m getting used to it in practice. Reps are increasing and there’s not a national player of the year ahead of you, which helps prepare myself mentally.”