Purdue Extends Offer to 4-Star Point Guard, Son of Former NBA Star
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Tai Bell, one of the top point guards in the 2028 recruiting class, has received an offer from Purdue. The Boilermakers extended an offer after the four-star prospect visited campus for the team's season opener against Evansville on Tuesday.
Tai, a 6-foot-3 guard out of Florida, revealed that he took a visit to Purdue on Tuesday, watching the top-ranked Boilers defeat Evansville 82-51 inside Mackey Arena. A day later, he announced that he received an offer from coach Matt Painter and the staff.
"Extremely blessed and thankful to receive an offer from [Purdue]," he wrote on X.
Extremely blessed and thankful to receive an offer from @BoilerBall 🚂 #AGTG #BoilerUp @CoachPainter @stefanovicsasha @MLA_BasketbaII @soh_elite pic.twitter.com/34Q2ttbWND
— Tai Bell (@TaiBoogie5) November 4, 2025
Tai is the son of former NBA guard Raja Bell, who spent 14 years in the league. Raja played for the Philadelphia 76ers, Dallas Mavericks, Utah Jazz, Phoenix Suns, Charlotte Bobcats, and Golden State Warriors. He was twice named to the NBA's All-Defensive Team.
According to 247Sports, Tai ranks as the No. 25 overall prospect in the 2028 recruiting class and has a four-star rating. However, per the website's Composite Rankings, Tai is ranked No. 27 in the class and has a five-star status.
He's also listed as the No. 3 point guard of the cycle.
Purdue has now extended offers to five players in the 2028 class. Tai is the first point guard to earn an offer from the program. Others who have offers from the Boilermakers include shooting guard Xavier Skipworth, shooting guard Noah Washington, and centers Erick Dampier Jr. and Dylan Betts.
Tai has already picked up multiple offers during his recruitment. Other programs that have shown interest include Florida State, Kansas State, Dayton, Syracuse, and others.
What does Tai Bell bring to the floor?
Tai is an incredibly skilled point guard capable of doing everything on a basketball court. According to MaxPreps.com, he appeared in 22 games during the 2024-25 season and averaging an impressive 25.9 points, 10.1 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 2.8 steals per game. He shot 49% from the floor and 33% from three-point range.
Athleticism is a big piece to Tai's game, as he's able to take defenders off the bounce and get to the rim quickly. He's capable of finishing in a variety of ways at the rim. He's also capable of getting to his pull-up jumper and got knock down fadeaways with consistency. Tai has a skilled mid-range game, but thrives when he's able to get out in transition.
The 6-foot-3 guard is also a tremendous rebounder at his position. He can collect boards, push tempo, and either beat the defense for a transition bucket or find an open teammate for fast points.
It's still incredibly early in his recruiting process, but expect to see Tai receive a lot more interest in the coming months and years.
Related stories on Purdue basketball
PAINTER TALKS CLUFF, JACOBSEN: Purdue's Oscar Cluff and Daniel Jacobsen combined for 20 points and 18 rebounds in Tuesday's win over Evansville. Here's what Matt Painter liked from the game. CLICK HERE
LOYER, SMITH MAKE BIG SPLASH IN OPENER: Both Fletcher Loyer and Braden Smith carved out a little bit of history in Tuesday night's 82-51 victory over Evansville at Mackey Arena. 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.
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