5 Noteworthy Items as Purdue Basketball Officially Begins Practice for 2026-27 Season
In this story:
The start of the college basketball season has almost arrived. In October, Purdue will play three exhibition games to prepare for the 2026-27 campaign. Then, in November, the Boilermakers travel to Las Vegas to play Gonzaga in the season opener.
Purdue officially begins practice for the upcoming season on Tuesday, marking the beginning of a new era in West Lafayette. Gone are Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer and Trey Kaufman-Renn, but this is a team that still has plenty of talent on the roster.
As the Boilers prepare for a brand new year, here are a few noteworthy items to follow as the start of the season approaches.
Still no update on Enzo Shahrvin
Purdue begins practice without an update on Enzo Shahrvin, the 6-foot-9 forward from France. The NCAA has still not made a ruling regarding his eligibility. He can currently practice with the team, but is not permitted to participate in any competitions during the 2026-27 season.
Coach Matt Painter likes the phyiscality and toughness Shahrvin brings to the floor. After the trip to Canada in July, that was one area where Purdue struggled, and he believes Shahrvin's presence would aid the Boilermakers in that department.
There isn't a timetable for the NCAA to make a ruling, but Purdue is hoping a decision is reached sooner rather than later.
The rebounding question
One glaring issue Purdue faces as it enters the 2026-27 season is on the glass. The Boilers struggled to rebound the basketball while in Canada, and it was Painter's top concern coming out of those four games.
Forward Caden Pierce provides a nice punch on the glass, and is arguably Purdue's top rebounder heading into the year. The Boilers also got solid production on the boards from the backcourt, but they need more from Daniel Jacobsen, Raleigh Burgess and Jack Benter.
Three-point frenzy?
We're accustomed to watching Purdue work the ball into the post and allowing guys like Zach Edey, Trey Kaufman-Renn and others to score in the paint or distribute to open shooters. There will still be some of that this year, but associate head coach PJ Thompson is likely going to adjust his offensive philosophy with this year's roster.
Purdue attempted several threes on the trip to Canada, an indication that it may live behind the three-point line this year. The Boilers have several quality shooters from the perimeter, and even big men like Jacobsen and Burgess are capable of stepping out and knocking down jump shots.
Jacobsen will still get post-ups and serve as a lob threat for Purdue, but this will likely be a team that shoots its fair share of threes every game, unless it gets a mismatch in the post it feels like it can expose.
Omer Mayer vs. Luke Ertel
There's going to be a lot of interest in this point guard battle throughout the year. Omer Mayer has been the expected heir to Purdue's offense, but he's going to face plenty of competition with Luke Ertel vying for the spot, too.
Both point guards are going to play, but who wins the starting job? Who closes out games? Does the offense function better with one guy as opposed to the other? Bother Mayer and Ertel are talented players and can help Purdue win games this year. It's a good situation for the Boilers.
More defensive pressure
The athleticism Purdue has at the guard positions this year allows Paul Lusk and Kenneth Lowe to implement a more aggressive defensive philosophy. Don't be surprised if the Boilermakers apply more pressure to ball handlers and try to force more turnovers than they have in the past.
This Purdue team is one that can create a lot of problems around the three-point line and can score quickly in transition. If guys are beat while playing too aggressive, Jacobsen is still down in the post to provide rim protection. I don't expect the Boilermakers to play a "40 minutes of hell" style of defense, but there will be more pressure than we've seen in recent years.
Get top Boilermakers stories, expert analysis, and can't-miss moments straight to your inbox for free by signing up for the Purdue Boilermakers on SI newsletter!
Add us as a preferred source on Google
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.
Follow SchutteDustin