4 Returning Players Purdue Basketball Needs to Make a Leap for 2026-27 Season
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A plethora of opportunities are available in West Lafayette this coming season. Purdue lost four starters and six total players from last year's roster, opening up significant playing time for everyone in the 2026-27 campaign.
Jobs are open to everyone, returners and newcomers alike. But for Purdue to continue its run of success and remain near the top of the Big Ten, a few returners need to step up with so much production departing.
Who are the players needing to make big jumps this summer in order to help the Boilermakers pile up victories? Here's a rundown of four key guys that need to step up.
Daniel Jacobsen (center)
- 2025-26 stats — 5.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.2 blocks, 64.6% FG
With both Oscar Cluff and Trey Kaufman-Renn gone, Purdue has some big shoes to fill in the frontcourt. It starts with Jacobsen, who is expected to be the starting center in 2026-27, a role he earned as a true freshman before suffering a season-ending injury.
Jacobsen played well early last season, providing the Boilermakers with a lob threat offensively and a shot blocker and rim protector defensively. The brutality of the Big Ten season seemed to wear down the 7-foot-4 center, especially since it was his first full season at the college level.
Over the years, Purdue has seen multiple big men make significant progress from one year to the next. Jacobsen has the potential to be the next. He needs to develop more functional strength and improve as a rebounder. If he can progress in those two areas, he has the potential for a breakout year.
Gicarri Harris (guard)
- 2025-26 stats — 4.6 points, 1.6 rebounds, 35.5% 3FG
The backcourt is crowded in West Lafayette, but a lot of minutes are opening up with Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer departing. It opens the door for Harris to work his way into the starting lineup, or possibly play a bigger role off the bench.
Harris has been a key contributor for the Boilermakers in each of his first two seasons, but the biggest flaw has been consistency. That's probably due to, in part, a lack of consistent minutes. How much more can the junior guard produce if he gets 25 minutes per game?
Harris can continue to improve as an off-ball defender and communicator, two things he's focused on since arriving in West Lafayette. On the offensive end, attacking the basket and knocking down perimeter shots at a higher clip are two improvements he can make this summer.
Omer Mayer (guard)
- 2025-26 stats — 5.5 points, 1.2 assists, 1.1 rebounds, 41.2% FG
For the first time in four years, Purdue is ushering in a new point guard. Mayer is going to get the first crack to lead the offense after spending last season as Braden Smith's backup, as well as playing off the ball.
Mayer showed flashes of promise as a true freshman, but he also made some rookie mistakes. Eliminating turnovers and better decision-making are two keys for the sophomore during the offseason. He is also moving back into a more natural position as the lead guard, so that could help his progress.
Nobody expects Mayer to replicate Smith's success, but he is a high-level passer and can also knock down pull-ups regularly. Having a quality point guard is essential to success in college basketball. It's important for Mayer to get comfortable as the floor general for longer stretches.
Raleigh Burgesss (forward)
- 2025-26 stats — Did not play
Burgess opted to redshirt last season and improve his game. With the Boilers needing help in the frontcourt, there's a major opportunity for the redshirt sophomore to carve out a significant role for himself.
As a freshman in the 2024-25 season, Burgess played well at times but lacked consistency and could only play for three-minute stretches before wearing down. Assuming his conditioning has improved, there are a lot of ways he can help Purdue this coming season.
Burgess gives Purdue good size at the four spot and provides a physical rebounding presence. He can also help with floor spacing on the offensive end with his ability to score in the post and knock down shots from the perimeter. Even if he's not a starter, Burgess could provide his team with productive minutes off the bench.
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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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