Purdue Basketball

The 2025-26 outlook for the Purdue men's basketball team got a lot better Monday.

That is because guard Braden Smith revealed he will return for his senior season after leading the Boilermakers during the 2024-25 campaign:

Smith was a member of the Associated Press All-American First Team and one of the best players in the country, but he is putting any NBA dreams on hold to return to the Big Ten program for one more season.

"Running it back one last time," Smith said on Instagram. "Purdue has given me everything: Memories, challenges, growth, and a family. There's still more to prove, more to accomplish, and more moments to create with my brothers.

"Much love to my guys and Boiler Nation! Let's make this next year unforgettable!"

The Boilermakers star won the Big Ten Player of the Year and Bob Cousy Award as the nation's top point guard while averaging 15.8 points, 8.7 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game and shooting 42.8 percent from the field and 38.1 percent from deep.

He consistently took over games as both a scorer and a facilitator and was a major reason the Boilermakers reached the NCAA tournament and advanced to the Sweet 16.

Smith played all 40 minutes in each of Purdue's three games in the Big Dance and dished out 15 assists in the two-point loss to Houston in the Sweet 16. Houston went on to reach the national title game, where it lost to Florida.

Purdue has established itself as one of college basketball's best programs in recent years with a run to the 2024 national championship game, two Big Ten regular-season titles and a Big Ten tournament crown in just the last three seasons alone.

While it is yet to lift the national championship trophy, Smith's return means it will surely be on the short list of contenders next season. He will also be on the short list of preseason favorites for the Wooden and Naismith Awards.

It remains to be seen whether Smith's skill set that makes him so dominant at the college level will translate over to the NBA. B/R's Jonathan Wasserman did not project Smith to be drafted in his most recent two-round mock draft, and the decision to return suggests the guard may not have been given a positive outlook about his NBA chances this year.

But there is no doubt he is a star player in college and will look to lead Purdue to a national championship in his senior season.

Memphis Grizzlies rookie center Zach Edey has removed himself from the process to earn a spot on the Canadian men's basketball team for the upcoming Summer Olympics in Paris.

Edey released a statement on the matter and revealed that he made the decision to prepare for his first NBA season with the Grizzlies, who selected him with the No. 9 overall draft pick on Wednesday.

Rowan Barrett, the national team's general manager, also released a statement.

"Canada Basketball was recently notified by Zach of his intention to remove himself from consideration to represent Canada at this summer's Olympic Games. While we were optimistic about having Zach join us in training camp, we understand and support him in this difficult decision. On behalf of Canada Basketball, I would like to congratulate him on being drafted into the NBA. We look forward to welcoming him to a future training camp and wish him the best of luck preparing for next season."

Edey was one of 20 members on the Canadian training camp roster. Twelve players will be selected to represent Canada in the Olympics, which begin July 24.

Edey, a former Purdue star and reigning back-to-back college basketball player of the year, just averaged 25.2 points, 12.2 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game for the national runner-up. He now finds himself with a great opportunity in Memphis to become the Grizzlies' starting center and form a dynamic frontcourt duo alongside Jaren Jackson Jr.

Obviously, choosing the NBA over potentially representing his home country in the Olympics (if he made the team) is a tough call, but the 7'4" big man obviously wants to get off on the right foot in the pros as he looks to make his mark.

Zach Edey's defensive mobility remains a concern about the Purdue star's game in the eyes of one NBA front-office executive.

"With Edey, the fear is with his ability to guard in space," the executive said to ESPN's Jeremy Woo. "When guards turn the corner on him, his ability to recover and get back into the play. You might have to commit to gimmicky defenses and station him around the basket to really take advantage of his rim-protection."

Woo wrote how Edey's work on offense has drawn praise. The 7'4" center shot 62.1 percent from the field in four years with the Boilermakers and averaged 11.2 free throws per game as a senior in 2023-24. Even with limited range, he can potentially be a consistent scorer in the NBA.

However, the general questions over Edey as a defender "make him a more situational player than a full-on starter, barring unexpected improvement," per Woo.

In his most recent mock draft, Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman projected Edey to go 17th overall to the Los Angeles Lakers.

"Rival teams believe Zach Edey could go in the lottery," he wrote. "While there are still skeptics, it also sounds like some teams will be willing to take a chance that 7'4" size, improved mobility and inside touch could translate to effective offensive rebounding, post scoring, rim protection and adequate enough defensive foot speed in space."

Wasserman also compared him to longtime veteran Jonas Valančiūnas.

Because he's a more traditional center, Edey probably has a limited ceiling in the NBA. He's not the type of prospect you orient an entire franchise around.

But the 22-year-old also possesses a high floor thanks to his experience, size and skills around the basket. It's easy to picture him having a long, productive career much like the one Valančiūnas has enjoyed.

Purdue center Zach Edey will not be at Barclays Center when the 2024 NBA draft begins on June 26.

According to ESPN's Jonathan Givony, Edey declined an invitation to attend the draft and has chosen to watch the event with his family as well as his former Boilermakers teammates.

The 2024 Big Ten Player of the Year wrapped up an impressive senior season at Purdue, leading his team to the NCAA Tournament title game.

In 39 starts, the 7'4" center averaged 25.2 points and 12.2 rebounds to go along with 2.2 blocks per game. He shot 62.3 percent from the field and 71.1 percent on free throws, connecting on one of his two three-point attempts as a senior.

Edey's decision to decline the invite isn't an uncommon choice, as 2023 first-round pick Kris Murray turned down an offer to attend the draft and chose to watch with his family instead.

In the latest mock draft from Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman, the former Boilermaker was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers with the No. 17 overall pick. His exact draft range is far from a certainty, as Wasserman wrote that "rival teams believe Zach Edey could go in the lottery."

In his scouting report of Edey, Wasserman highlighted the center's ability to use his size to finish efficiently at the rim as well as his tendency to send back opposing shots at the basket.

"He uses his powerful body to gain position and length to release over the top," Wasserman wrote. "And even without the quickest feet, he's a deterrent around the basket with how high his arms extend vertically."

While Edey's defensive mobility has raised some questions as he's about to enter a league with an abundance of shooting at all five positions, his college production and his 7'10.75" wingspan could cause scouts to feel more comfortable about his floor in the association.

The NBA draft order is set after the lottery on Sunday, and fans and analysts now have a better idea of how teams might go about their selections.

ESPN's Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo released their post-lottery mock draft on Sunday and projected where a pair of notable big men could land in the draft.

Givony and Woo project the Charlotte Hornets to take UConn star Donovan Clingan with the No. 6 pick and have Purdue's Zach Edey going to the Miami Heat with the No. 15 pick.

Clingan, who led the Huskies to a national championship last season, stands at 7'2" and is arguably one of the best prospects coming out of the collegiate ranks in this year's draft. He averaged 13 points and 7.4 boards per game in the 2023-24 season, also blocking 2.5 shots per game.

Clingan's rim protection and solid offensive game make him a sound pick for the Hornets, and at just 20 years old, he has plenty of time to develop even more.

The Hornets have a top-10 pick for a second consecutive year after taking Brandon Miller with the No. 2 pick in 2023. Miller finished third in the Rookie of the Year race after averaging 17.3 points per game.

Adding some help in the frontcourt could help Charlotte finally change the trajectory of its franchise after missing the playoffs for eight consecutive seasons.

For Miami, Edey could be a perfect fit. The 7'4" senior led the Boilermakers to the NCAA tournament title game after averaging 25.2 points and 12.2 rebounds per game last season. He put up 29.5 points and 14.5 boards per game in the tournament, including a 40-point outburst in the Elite Eight against Tennessee.

Edey has a less refined offensive game than Clingan but is adept at getting to the free throw line and scoring at the rim. Overall, he still needs to develop to keep up with an NBA pace, but Miami has done an outstanding job developing players and likely would be able to turn Edey into an everyday player in the league.

Purdue star Zach Edey is entering the 2024 NBA Draft after winning back-to-back National Player of the Year awards.

Edey told ESPN's Jonathan Givony he has filed the paperwork with the league office to become draft-eligible.

"I felt like it was time," Edey said. "I showed that I'm a physical presence on offense this season. I also showed I can play defense. I can guard in space, even defend guards."

Givony and Jeremy Woo mocked Edey to the Miami Heat with the 15th pick in their mock draft.

Projections for Edey have been all over the place, though it seems like his stellar 2023-24 season has solidified him as a first-round prospect.

B/R's Jonathan Wasserman projected Edey to be the No. 23 pick to the Phoenix Suns in his most recent mock draft published on Monday.

The fit for Edey on the Heat seems awkward simply because they already have Bam Adebayo.

Edey doesn't necessarily have to step in as a starter right away, but he could also be used to plug the paint since Adebayo has improved his ability to play away from the basket. Adebayo isn't a shooting wizard, but he did set career-highs in three-point percentage (35.7) and attempts per game (0.6) this season.

The Suns are an obvious fit for a player like Edey because they don't have much size on the inside beyond Jusuf Nurkić, who will be entering the final season of his contract in 2024-25. Drew Eubanks, who will be a free agent this summer, is their backup center right now.

Edey would have had a fifth year of eligibility stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic to use if he wanted to return to Purdue.

Instead, the 21-year-old will capitalize on his outstanding season and four-year college career to start his professional career. He's the first player to win the Naismith College Basketball Player of the Year in consecutive years since Ralph Sampson did it in three straight seasons from 1981 to '83.

Edey averaged 25.2 points, 12.2 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game in 39 starts this season. He helped the Boilermakers set a single-season record for wins (34) and reach the national title game for the first time since the 1968-69 season.

For the second straight year, Purdue center Zach Edey has won the John R. Wooden Award, which is given to the nation's top men's and women's college basketball players.

Edey is just the second male player to win the Wooden Award twice and on back-to-back occasions. Virginia center Ralph Sampson accomplished the feat after winning the honor in 1982 and 1983.

The big man was the consensus national player of the year, sweeping all the major awards. He averaged 25.2 points on 62.3 percent shooting, 12.2 rebounds and 2.2 blocks in 32.0 minutes per game last season.

Voting took place from March 18-25, so most of Edey's tournament performance wasn't considered. If it was, then he would have been an even bigger lock to take home this year's honors.

Edey was particularly exceptional in March Madness, posting 29.5 points on 64.1 percent shooting and 14.5 rebounds per game. He finished his collegiate career with a 37-point, 10-rebound outing in a national championship game defeat to UConn.

UNC guard RJ Davis, Tennessee wing Dalton Knecht, UConn guard Tristen Newton and Houston guard Jamal Shead were also named finalists.

On the women's side, Iowa guard Caitlin Clark also became a back-to-back winner. Her honor was announced on Tuesday.

Despite dropping 37 points and 10 rebounds in Monday's NCAA Tournament national championship against UConn, Purdue star big man Zach Edey wishes he did more.

"I've just got to play better," he said after the Boilermakers' 75-60 loss, per ESPN's Myron Medcalf. "This is one of those games where I can't go through stretches where I'm not effective. I had a few of those stretches today and that was the game."

The Huskies became the first team since Florida in 2006 and 2007 to win back-to-back national championships. While Edey is ending his collegiate career without a national title on his resume, Purdue head coach Matt Painter believes his legacy is still cemented as one of the greatest players in program history.

"When you look at his numbers against the greats, there is no question he's in the conversation," Painter said. "But he's also the winningest player at Purdue. We won our league in back-to-back years [2023, 2024] by multiple games. It's the first time that's happened in the Big Ten since I was in kindergarten. We got to the [national] championship game after having a disappointing loss [in last year's NCAA tournament]. He got to a Sweet 16. He went to four [NCAA] tournaments. I think that's always what kind of separates everybody."

Edey averaged 29.5 points during this year's NCAA Tournament, the second-highest average ever, per ESPN. He is on the verge of becoming the first male player to win back-to-back Wooden Awards since Ralph Sampson in 1982 and 1983.

While Edey believes he could've done more against UConn, his teammates paid him respect for his incredible effort throughout his career at Purdue.

"He's a generational player," Boilermakers forward Mason Gillis said. "I don't know if there will ever be another 7-foot-4 guy that dominates the way he does. I think Purdue should not take for granted what they were able to watch for four years. His development was for the fans. For Purdue. He wanted to bring success and raise the Purdue name. He just wanted to win and fight. And that's what we did."

Purdue head coach Matt Painter dropped an eye-opening quote during his Sunday press conference ahead of the Boilermakers' National Championship Game matchup against UConn Monday night, suggesting that college athletes were getting benefits on the sly before the NIL era.

"NIL wasn't put into place so the schools with the most money could get the best players," he told reporters. "But if you want to be honest, that was happening before but illegally."

Plenty of scandals emerged throughout the years suggesting that programs, boosters, agents and recruits found ways to skirt the NCAA's previous amateurism model.

There was the FBI's investigation into a scheme that saw coaches being paid to push recruits toward certain schools or financial advisors, leading to arrests in 2017 and prosecutions across the college basketball landscape. There have long been accusations about players who allegedly received some sort of benefit in similar schemes. In 2010, former sports agent Josh Luchs openly admitted to paying college football players. The list goes on.

One of the dirty secrets in college sports in the pre-NIL era was that players were receiving impermissible benefits.

Here's what Pat Forde wrote for ESPN back in 2010 after the Luchs scandal broke:

Was it a shock? No. Not for those of us who cover college athletics, not for those who work in college athletics, perhaps not even for most fans. But there is a difference between suspecting something and learning the real story.

Regardless of his motivations, Luchs pulled the inner workings of an oily business out of the shadows. He showed us how long it's been going on and how pervasive the problem is. (And as bad as it is in football, multiply it by 1,000 and you have college basketball.)

So, while it's rare to hear a coach or administrator openly imply that programs and athletes weren't always adhering to the previous amateurism rules, it wasn't some shocking revelation.

To borrow one of the Internet's favorite phrases: He just said the quiet part out loud.