Purdue Lands First Commitment of 2028 Class With Pledge From 4-Star Forward

Purdue landed a commitment on the eve of its first NCAA Tournament game, receiving a pledge from a four-star forward in the 2028 recruiting class.

Purdue Boilermakers head coach Matt Painter smiles during the NCAA tournament Midwest regional practice. | Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

ST. LOUIS — Purdue continues to build for the future, even as it prepares to play in this year's NCAA Tournament. On Thursday night, the Boilermakers received a verbal commitment from four-star forward Jamyn Sondrup, a member of the 2028 recruiting class.

Sondrup announced his commitment on Thursday, just one day before Purdue takes the floor for its first-round NCAA Tournament game against Queens. He had been deciding between six schools. Along with Purdue, he was also considering BYU, Mississippi State, Utah, Utah Valley and Washington.

The talented forward made his announcement with a post on Instagram.

Sondrup was listed as a member of the 2026 recruiting class, but plans to take a two-year mission. He will join the Boilermakers' roster officially in 2028.

According to 247Sports, Sondrup is listed as the No. 134 prospect in the 2026 class. The four-star talent is listed as a 6-foot-9 forward/center and would likely fit into the four spot for the Boilermakers when he gets on campus.

Sondrup has been dominant at Springville (Utah) High School this season. The forward is averaging 17.8 points, 12.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game, according to MaxPreps. For his career, the 6-foot-9 star has scored more than 1,600 points and grabbed more than 960 rebounds.

Why Sondrup fits in at Purdue

It's no secret that Purdue has developed a great recipe when it comes to developing big men. The Boilermakers have honed the skills of greats like JaJuan Johnson, A.J. Hammons, Isaac Haas, Caleb Swanigan, Zach Edey and Trey Kaufman-Renn.

Sondrup has a similar build to Kaufman-Renn, which would allow him to play a traditional four position or move over to the five spot when Purdue wants to move to a small-ball lineup.

Sondrup is a physical player in the post who can crash the glass and score at a high level down low. He has the ability to step out and knock down shots from the perimeter, but that's not the greatest strength of his game.

Like so many players at his position, Sondrup must get stronger in order to deal with the grind of Purdue's difficult non-conference schedule, as well as the brutality of the Big Ten season. But Matt Painter and his staff have an excellent track record of developing big men and turning them into All-Big Ten-caliber players.

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