Purdue basketball still filling 2018 class as July evaluations begin
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue basketball coaches head southeast this week, as the first of three July evaluation periods begins Wednesday.
Augusta, Georgia, plays host to three big events — Nike's always loaded Peach Jam, the Peach Invitational and the Peach State Summer Showcase. The Under Armor Association holds its finals in suburban Atlanta. The adidas Gauntlet Finale takes place up the coast in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
College coaches haven't been able to attend these summer events in person since the end of the April evaluation period.
Boilermakers coach Matt Painter and assistants Greg Gary, Brandon Brantley and Steve Lutz will fan out across that landscape. Last week's commitment from Troy, Michigan, big man Trevion Williams filled one big need for the 2018 recruiting class. However, Purdue could have as many as four other scholarships to use for that group, and there are more needs to fill.
Guards
Purdue wants another point guard to help replace P.J. Thompson after this season and to join with incoming freshman Nojel Eastern. More depth at point guard also means Carsen Edwards can keep playing off the ball, if that continues to better serve his skill set.
Two in-state recruits have headlined Purdue's pursuit at that position: McCutcheon's Robert Phinisee and Tindley's Eric Hunter. The Boilermakers would take both, with Hunter serving as a combo guard and Phinisee as a true point.
Both players are also being pursued by Indiana, Butler, Ohio State and other Big Ten programs.
Purdue offered Lynchburg, Virginia's Jaelin Llewellyn after the April evaluations. The 6-2, 165-pound point sits just outside the 24/7 Sports composited top 100.
Purdue hasn't written off New Albany's Romeo Langford, the nation's No. 3 recruit according to 24/7 Sports. But the shooting guard is on the fast track to the NBA and has an offer from every NCAA blue blood imaginable.
Another option could be Midwest City, Oklahoma's Keyshawn Embery. The 6-2, 180 combo guard already had an offer from Creighton (former employer of current Purdue assistant Lutz) when the Boilermakers offered this spring.
Big men
Williams' commitment won't prevent Purdue from pursuing other big men for 2018. Post depth is already a concern for the upcoming season, and more big bodies are needed beyond that when senior Isaac Haas moves on.
Emmanuel Dowuona, a 6-11 center from Miami's Westwood Christian, officially visited Purdue last month. The Boilermakers may only keep one more spot open for a post player. While the raw but defensively proficient Dowuona previously said he wanted to keep his options open through the summer, could Wiiliams' decision spur him to grab the Purdue offer while it's available?
PURDUE BASKETBALL RECRUITING:Trevion Williams is first commitment in 2018 class
PURDUE BASKETBALL RECRUITING:2018 target Damezi Anderson eager to improve
PURDUE BASKETBALL RECRUITING:2018 target Emmanuel Dowuona quickly finding basketball success
Bryan Penn-Johnson is a 7-0, 215-pound center from Mt. Pleasant, Utah. Arizona has also offered him, as have numerous other programs from western states. However, Purdue's reputation for developing big men has helped it land size from Alabama (Haas), Massachusetts (Jacquil Taylor) and Kansas (Matt Haarms, by way of Belgium) in recent years.
Fayetteville, North Carolina's Immanuel "Manny" Bates doesn't boast that kind of height. Yet at 6-9, 215, he's putting together an increasingly long list of offers, including Purdue's.
An injury prevented Chicago Corliss' George Conditt from impressing during a team camp visit to Purdue last month. An offer might not be out of the question if the 6-10, 200 center plays well this month.
Wings
Painter has made it a priority to obtain one perimeter shooter in each class. Some of those big guards/small forwards are no longer available, but another, Versaille, Ohio's Justin Ahrens, came back on the market when he decommitted from Ohio State. The 6-8, 180 small forward reportedly hasn't closed the door on the Buckeyes, however.
Purdue offered Columbus, New Jersey, small forward Louis King after seeing him in Westfield during the first evaluation period. Through 15 games this summer on the Nike EYBL circuit the 6-6, 185-pound King is averaging 18 points and shooting 38.6 percent from 3-point range. He's ranked No. 16 in 24/7's composite national rankings.
The Boilermakers had South Bend Riley's Damezi Anderson back on campus last month for a team camp. The 6-6, 175 small forward is a top-100 talent. Anderson is shooting 41.7 percent from 3-point range in EYBL play this summer and has scored 20 or more in 11 of 16 games.
Chicago Simeon's Talen Horton-Tucker unofficially visited Purdue last month and picked up a scholarship offer. There's a lot of Big Ten Conference competition for the 6-6, 210-pound forward, including Illinois, Northwestern and Ohio State.
Reach Journal & Courier Purdue basketball Nathan Baird at 765-420-5234. Follow on Twitter: @nbairdjc.