College basketball analyst Jon Rothstein praised Purdue’s ability to retain its top talent, saying it’s “unseen” in the sport these days.
Retention has played a crucial role in Purdue’s recent success. Despite the allure of the transfer portal and the freedom for student-athletes to move around, Coach Matt Painter has built a roster filled with players dedicated to finishing their careers in West Lafayette.
The foundation includes Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer, and Trey Kaufman-Renn, all returning for the 2025-26 season. These three multi-year starters aim to secure another Big Ten title and possibly a national championship for Purdue.
In addition to their decision to stay, the Boilermakers are also bringing back notable freshmen like CJ Cox, Gicarri Harris, Raleigh Burgess, and Daniel Jacobsen. This gives Painter and his staff a strong base to build upon for the upcoming college basketball season.
Analyst Jon Rothstein recently highlighted Purdue’s impressive player retention, particularly among key contributors. He noted, “Purdue is set to return 86% of its scoring from last season’s Sweet 16 team that narrowly lost to Houston. Three starters—Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer, and Trey Kaufman-Renn—not only started last season but also two years ago in the National Championship Game. Such retention is exceptional in college basketball.”
Rothstein also pointed out that among the five returning All-Americans in college basketball, two—Braden Smith and Trey Kaufman-Renn—are from Purdue.
While the Boilermakers did see four players enter the transfer portal this offseason (Brian Waddell, Will Berg, Camden Heide, and Myles Colvin), they quickly replenished their roster by acquiring 6-foot-11 center Oscar Cluff and 6-foot-7 wing Liam Murphy through the portal. Additionally, they secured top-150 recruits Omer Mayer and Antione West Jr. for the 2025 recruiting class. These new additions, along with returning talent, position Purdue strongly in college basketball.
This set-up could pave the way for a national championship run as well. Rothstein stated, “If Purdue is the No. 1 seed in the Midwest Region, their ideal route would be from St. Louis to Chicago and back to Indianapolis at Lucas Oil Stadium for a shot at the national championship and a Final Four appearance in their home state.”
The trio of Smith, Loyer, and Kaufman-Renn has already won two Big Ten regular-season titles and a Big Ten Tournament championship and made it to the NCAA Tournament every year. They are eager to add more accolades to Purdue in their final season.
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