Jaden Ivey Has Found His Next Gear, and Purdue Is Reaping the Benefits

The Boilermakers’ star is unlike anything the program has had in its proud history.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Jaden Ivey was not getting the calls during a stretch Tuesday night against Illinois. Twice he drove to the basket early in the second half and thought he was fouled, but there were no whistles to affirm his belief. After the second of the two plays, the sophomore Purdue guard threw his arms upward in exasperation.

At that point, Ivey got mad. And Illinois got massacred.

“I did [get angry],” Ivey said. “When I don’t get a call, or obvious call, I get mad and just take it out in the game.”

At that point, the No. 3 Boilermakers led the No. 13 Illini by seven points. Less than two and a half minutes later, when Ivey was finished with his personal outburst, Purdue led by 17. It was over. The Boilers were on their way to an 84–68 victory in thunderous Mackey Arena that tied them with the Illini and Wisconsin for first in the Big Ten.

On the season, Ivey is averaging 17.7 points.

Doug McSchooler/AP

The 6'4" guard tortured the Illini in pick-and-roll offense, driving past and leaping above defenders to score or assist on five straight possessions that resulted in 12 points. Ivey went on to score 22 points in the second half, one of the most impressive 20-minute performances by anyone in college basketball this season, and 26 for the game.

Soaring, levitating, double-clutching, pulling up—Ivey was artistry in motion. He was assertive but not reckless, confident but not greedy, aware of his advantage against anything Illinois threw at him and ready to exploit it. Painter might consider asking the officials before every game to snub Ivey on a couple of calls in hopes that it produces this kind of explosion.

This performance was a spectacular snapshot of why Ivey is commonly projected to be a top-five NBA draft pick this summer, and the highest Purdue draftee since Glenn Robinson went No. 1 in 1994. You can see some of the ambidexterity and explosiveness of Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant in Ivey’s game, and a little of Chicago Bulls rookie Ayo Dosunmu’s creativity and willingness to take over. Those are flattering comparisons to have on your résumé.

The guy who coached Dosunmu at Illinois, Brad Underwood, saw enough of Ivey last night to know why his team was beaten, and why Purdue is on a six-game winning streak. It’s not the Boilermakers’ monster center tandem of Zach Edey (7'4" and 295 pounds) and Trevion Williams (6'10", 255). It’s not the bench that goes as deep as anyone’s in the country.

Those are nice things to have. But a difference-making lottery pick is the best luxury of all.

“One thing Matt [Painter] has done of late, he’s quit screwing around,” Underwood said. “Give the ball to Ivey and get everyone out of the way. If anybody doesn’t know what a pro looks like, that’s what they look like.”

He has a pro’s stat line. In the past four games, Ivey is averaging 22.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists and one block. He’s making 53% of his two-point attempts, driving into the paint and finishing with a variety of shots, and 89% of his free throws. Just when you thought the Big Ten Player of the Year was becoming a match race between Illinois big man Kofi Cockburn and Wisconsin guard Johnny Davis, here comes Ivey.

Painter acknowledged that he had been using Ivey more as a pick-and-roll creator and finisher in recent games. What Underwood sees as no longer “screwing around,” Painter sees as an evolution based on Ivey’s rapidly improving grasp of that crucial basketball play. While athleticism and confidence are vital to exploit pick-and-roll matchups, so is an ability to read and react to what’s in front of the ballhandler.

“For great players, especially talented players, the game will slow down for you at times,” Painter said. “He just let it come to him tonight, he made great decisions. … He’s come a long way since the start of the year in that area. Everything was fast to start the season.”

Moving quickly has been replaced by something more important: command and knowledge. Painter made the quarterback analogy Tuesday night—Ivey has learned to go through progressions based on what defenders are presenting to him.

With Ivey leading the way, Purdue has the No. 1 offense on KenPom.

Marc Lebryk/USA TODAY Sports

In the bigger picture, Ivey’s own progression has been startling. A national top-80 recruit according to Rivals.com in the 2020 recruiting class, it was around this time last year when the freshman started to assert himself. By season’s end he was indispensable, scoring 19 points in a Big Ten tournament loss to Ohio State and 26 in an NCAA tournament shocker exit against North Texas.

This season, Ivey has been a starter from the opening game and performed consistently well. But he found another gear Tuesday night in what probably was his best collegiate performance.

What Ivey did against Illinois was all the more impressive when you consider who was guarding him for much of the night. That was fifth-year senior Trent Frazier, a dogged defender who often gets the assignment against the opponent’s top perimeter player.

“Trent Frazier has shut literally the whole country down at times,” Underwood said. “Tonight [Ivey] made shots. … He’s at a different level athletically than anybody we’ve seen this year.”

Ivey, the son of Notre Dame women’s basketball coach Niele Ivey, represents a dramatic departure from just about anything Purdue men’s basketball has ever known. In a program that was built on strength and a grinding blue-collar ethos, here comes a balletic athlete. Even Big Dog Robinson was more of a power player in college, not a fluid dazzler like Ivey.

Purdue has had an assembly line of musclebound bangers. It also has had plenty of spot-up shooters. But it hasn’t had many floaters and gliders. Ivey is a fierce competitor, but he also just might be the prettiest player we’ve ever seen in a Boilermakers uniform.

“It makes the game so much easier and a lot more enjoyable to play with a player like that,” Purdue forward Mason Gillis said.

“Thank you,” Ivey said, sitting two chairs over.

The pleasure, actually, is all Purdue’s. If Matt Painter continues to “quit screwing around” and puts the offense in Jaden Ivey’s hands the rest of the way, the results could be historic for a hungry program.