Did Andy Katz Disrespect Purdue's Fletcher Loyer in Latest Top-10 List?

College basketball analyst Andy Katz has released multiple top-10 lists prior to the basketball season. Did his latest disrespect Purdue's Fletcher Loyer?
Purdue Boilermakers guard Fletcher Loyer (2) shoots
Purdue Boilermakers guard Fletcher Loyer (2) shoots | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

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Everyone on Purdue's roster is focusing on the team goal of winning a national championship at the end of the season. But if senior guard Fletcher Loyer needs a little added motivation, he might have received it from college basketball analyst Andy Katz on Wednesday.

Katz released a list of his top-10 three-point shooters entering the 2025-26 season. Loyer, who has been a sharp-shooting specialist in West Lafayette, did not appear on the list.

Loyer has shot the three-ball at a 44.4% clip over the last two seasons, averaging 1.6 makes as a sophomore during the 2023-24 campaign and making 2.1 threes per game last season. In his three-year career at Purdue, Loyer has made 197 shots from distance at a 40% clip.

Those figures weren't good enough to make Katz's list. So, who was on the list? Here's the top 10 that he released on Tuesday, along with their three-point percentage from the 2024-25 season:

  1. Tyler Lundblade, Belmont (48.1%)
  2. Solo Ball, UConn (41.4%)
  3. Josh Hubbard, Mississippi State (34.5%)
  4. Abdi Bashir, Kansas State (38.3%)
  5. Obi Agbim, Baylor (43.7%)
  6. Alex Chaikin, UC-San Diego (47.9%)
  7. Honor Huff, West Virginia (41.6%)
  8. CJ Luster, UNC-Wilmington (42.1%)
  9. Isaac McKneely, Louisville (42.1%)
  10. Kam Craft, Georgia Tech (43.1%)

Only two players on that list — Lundblade and Chaikin — had higher three-point percentages than Loyer last season. There are also two sub-.400 shooters on the list.

Interesting, to say the least.

Three-point percentage isn't the only indicator of a great three-point shooter. However, Loyer has been incredibly efficient throughout his career on a highly-productive offensive team. It is surprising that the Purdue senior was not included on this list.

Loyer plans to be more aggressive

Purdue Boilermakers guard Fletcher Loyer (2) shoots the ball
Purdue Boilermakers guard Fletcher Loyer (2) shoots the ball | Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

Maybe he didn't make Katz's top-10 list in the preseason, but Loyer will have a lot of opportunities to prove he's one of the best shooters in the country this season.

During an interview with Field of 68, Loyer said the coaching staff and his teammate, senior guard Braden Smith, have urged him to be more aggressive when it comes to shooting.

"Braden gets on me a lot when I pump-fake my threes," Loyer said. "So, taking the ones that are there, getting the shot off quicker, and being more ready to shoot coming off screens. We talked a lot about analytics and the only way I can be more efficient is take more threes."

That's every shooter's dream, isn't it? Getting the green light to fire away from deep.

It doesn't mean that Loyer is going to start chucking shots up at the rim every time down the court, but when he gets a look, he's going to fire away.

"I trust myself too much to make another play," Loyer said. "Sometimes the best play is just for me to shoot it."

Related stories on Purdue basketball

  • PURDUE OPPONENT KENPOM RANKINGS: Purdue's schedule is loaded with skilled opponents. Where do those opponents rank in the 2025-26 preseason KenPom rankings? CLICK HERE
  • POPE SAYS EXHIBITION VS PURDUE A 'GIFT': Mark Pope referred to an exhibition game between his ninth-ranked Kentucky team and No. 1 Purdue as a "gift" for his team. He explained why. CLICK HERE
  • BRADEN SMITH BEST GUARD MATCHUPS: Braden Smith is one of the best point guards in college basketball. What are some great matchups the Purdue guard will encounter during the 2025-26 season? CLICK HERE

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Dustin Schutte
DUSTIN SCHUTTE

Dustin Schutte is the publisher of Purdue Boilermakers on SI and has spent more than a decade working in sports journalism. His career began in 2013, when he covered Big Ten football. He remained in that role for eight years before working at On SI to cover the Boilermakers. Dustin graduated from Manchester University in Indiana in 2010, where he played for the men's tennis team.

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