Why Purdue Landing 4-Star Guard Kevin Savage is Significant
In this story:
The 4th of July weekend finished with a bang in West Lafayette on Sunday. Purdue landed a commitment from four-star guard Kevin Savage, a priority target for head coach Matt Painter and his staff in the 2027 recruiting class.
Savage, ranked as the No. 36 overall prospect in the 2027 class by 247Sports, picked Purdue over Auburn, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech and UCLA. It was the second major recruiting win for the Boilermakers of the cycle, also landing four-star center Isaiah Hill back in May.
Adding a verbal pledge from Savage to the 2027 class is significant for Purdue for a few reasons.
Purdue owns top-ranked recruiting class
The Boilermakers now have two top-40 prospects committed in the 2027 recruiting class. Hill is ranked as the No. 18 player in the class and Savage sits at No. 36. With those two pledges, Purdue currently owns the nation's top-ranked recruiting class.
Painter isn't one to concern himself with recruiting rankings, but there's no question they have an impact on future prospects. With some of the nation's top players committed to play at Purdue, it becomes an intriguing option for other talented recruits.
Whether it's the 2027 class or later, the opportunity to join Hill and Savage in West Lafayette could keep Purdue in the hunt for other top high school players.
Skill and depth at point guard
It's impossible to predict the future and know whether Purdue will retain its point guards following the 2026-27 season, but on paper, the Boilermakers would have plenty of skill and depth at that position.
Savage could be joining a group that includes Omer Mayer and Luke Ertel in the summer of 2027. Mayer will be entering his junior season and Ertel would be a second-year player. Both are expected to contribute for the Boilers this year.
If all three are on the roster, it provides Painter with multiple options and varying skill sets at the point guard spot. If there's some attrition via the transfer portal, Purdue would still be a great spot by adding Savage to the roster.
To make deep NCAA Tournament runs and compete for the Final Four, teams need elite point guards. Purdue is stacked at that position for the foreseeable future.
A great center-point guard combination
One of the main reasons Purdue made a run to the National Championship Game in 2024 was because of the connection between Zach Edey and Braden Smith. Having a dominant center and an elite point guard is another key component to competing for national titles.
Purdue has great depth at both of those positions, especially with the additions of both Hill and Savage.
Savage is an elite scorer at the point guard spot. He's aggressive with the basketball in his hands, possessing the ability to both knock down shots from the perimeter and finish at the rim. He's also an excellent facilitator.
Hill is already an outstanding shot-blocker and can provide Purdue with rim protection on the defensive end. Offensively, he's a lob threat, provides a strong presence in the post, and has a solid jump shot.
Those two working in pick-and-roll offense could be difficult for opponents to stop. That's just one of the reasons why that combination is so intriguing.
It would be hard to replicate the production and success that Edey and Smith had together, but Savage and Hill have that same level of potential.
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