Gold and Black Radio: Wrapping up the 2025-26 Purdue men's basketball season
GoldandBlack.com Purdue hoops expert Brian Neubert and host Derek Schultz put a wrap on the 2025-26 men’s basketball season in our weekly show.
TRANSFER ADDITIONS
(excerpt from Brian Neubert’s “Now What” colums)
Purdue already got its first priority when it landed power forward Caden Pierce mid-year to come in this summer and spend his final season of college eligibility at Purdue. But at least on paper, there are frontcourt considerations to take into account, as only Daniel Jacobsen and Raleigh Burgess are slated to return next season, provided no other interesting developments occur.
Purdue could really use some more size and physicality around the basket so as not to run the risk of falling off a cliff as a rebounding team, and for depth, obviously.
Adding Burgess into the mix could be impactful. Freshman Sinan Huan could factor in at center, but counting on a freshman isn’t always ideal.
OSCAR CLUFF
Purdue wants him back and he wants to come back. The question now is whether he can. That question remains to be answered by factors Purdue will now start digging into to see what it has to do to get him another year, potentially.
- 1
Ed Orgeron returns to LSU on Lane Kiffin's staff
- 2
Judge recused in Brendan Sorsby eligibility case
- 3
NewAhmad Hardy speaks on rehab, Mizzou return after shooting
- 4
Lane Kiffin reveals NFL-like 'fine system' for players
- 5
Bryce Underwood back for Round 2
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Cluff said he doesn’t want to circumvent any rules to come back to Purdue, but that he would like to return. There are ongoing court cases to be settled that could lay a precedent that could create a pathway to Cluff coming back another year, but whether or not he would be willing to hire an attorney and actually fight for that year remains to be seen.
There’s just not enough information right now to make any sort of projection as to whether or not Cluff can come back for another year at Purdue. If he does, the portal topic outlined above becomes less of a thing.
THE COACHING STAFF
It is quite possible that there could be changes to Purdue’s coaching staff. Assistant coach Terry Johnson has been in the market for a head coaching job for a few years now, and while that market might be drying up as the carousel turns, that doesn’t mean there couldn’t be another move between this and that.
Beyond that, we know that both Purdue graduate assistant coaches, Carson Barrett and Isaiah Thompson, have run their course in their two-year GA terms and will need to be replaced by fresh faces. Keep an eye on former Boilermaker Lance Jones for one of those spots. Considering Purdue’s seniors all figure to get professional playing opportunities, the chances of a player moving right into a GA role appear unlikely, but Painter really values having players’ contemporaries in those roles.
