Matt Painter Only Has One Thing on His Christmas Wish List This Year
In this story:
Matt Painter doesn't have a long Christmas list to send to Santa Claus this year. The Purdue coach has just one thing on his wish list this holiday season, and you better believe it's related to basketball.
This week, Painter made an appearance on Purdue's For Pete's Sake podcast with Rob Blackman and Joey Mulinaro. In a short, rapid-fire segment, Painter was asked for a gift he'd like this holiday season. The head coach blanked on anything personal.
"What's the old saying? Once you stop believing in Santa, then you get underwear and socks," Painter said jokingly. "I don't have anything that I need ... I'm hard to buy for because I don't do a whole lot."
Mulinaro then tossed Painter an idea, saying the wish list could be related to his basketball team, which currently sits 10-1 on the season and is ranked No. 6 in the country.
"If we could contain the dribble," Painter said. "I don't think anyone has ever asked for containing the dribble for Christmas. We've done a better job in that area, but it just helps us so much when we keep the ball in front of us."
Painter gets an "A" for originality, because he's right, there probably aren't many requests for "containing the dribble" during the holiday season. Then again, we might have to ask other coaches like Tom Izzo, Dan Hurley, or Brad Underwood to find out for sure.
Purdue only has two games over the next two weeks, playing No. 21 Auburn in the Indy Classic on Saturday (Dec. 20) and Kent State at Mackey Arena on Monday, Dec. 29.
Painter thankful for Purdue fans
Last weekend, Purdue got its first taste of the holiday weather, as snow pummeled West Lafayette while the sixth-ranked Boilermakers hosted Marquette at Mackey Arena. Still, fans packed the house to see the Boilers in action.
After the game, Painter was asked about the passion and loyalty of the Purdue fanbase.
"Our fans are what you want from your team; you want consistency," Painter said. "They show up no matter what. We get beat by Iowa State, they still show up. You want to have an exhibition game against a Division III team, they show up. This is their deal.
"That's what I always tell our guys: Be grateful for what you have. But also, we have to use them. They're there for us, but if we don't play well, it doesn't matter."
There are probably several coaches who would put "better fanbase" on their Christmas list to Santa. Painter won't be one of those individuals.
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!
Related stories on Purdue basketball
COULD MACKEY HOST NBA CUP? NBA commissioner Adam Silver says the league could look into playing the in-season tournament in college venues. Could Mackey Arena be a potential host site? CLICK HERE
5 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT AUBURN: No. 6 Purdue will play No. 21 Auburn in the Indy Classic on Saturday. Here are a few things to know about this year's Tigers squad, coached by Steven Pearl. CLICK HERE
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