INDIANAPOLIS (WRTV) -- The Purdue men's basketball program has big shoes to fill next season with the absence of star Boilermakers Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer, and Trey Kaufman-Renn.
Despite losing his star trio, Purdue head coach Matt Painter expressed optimism about next season at the 2026 AC Golf Classic.
"You have guys that are returning that really were starters that came off the bench," Painter said. "Now it's their opportunity. You have some young guys coming in that have more of an opportunity. We feel good about our team, but there's also some uncertainties that organically you've got to let happen in the summer through competition and through practices. We're going to Canada the last week of July, and I think that'll really help us."
Painter described what the competition at the guard spot will look like through the offseason.
"Antione West is in there, and obviously, C.J. Cox and Gicarri Harris have a lot of experience," Painter said. " Not really looking from a position standpoint, just our guard group that we have right there. I like all those guys. We have a young kid named Jacob Webber that can really shoot the basketball. Jack Benter's a guy that can play an undersized four for us. We have a lot of options there, and that's what's going to be cool about the summer is watching those guys compete."
Another key addition for Purdue is incoming freshman and Mt. Vernon grad Luke Ertel. Ertel is fresh off winning Indiana Mr. Basketball and a Class 4A state championship over Crown Point.
Coach Painter talked about what he loves most about the young guard.
"Just his ability to compete more than anything," Painter said. "You see guys in different environments, you see them at an open gym or a practice or a high school game, an AAU game, an All-Star Game, the beat goes on. There's just a lot of different things, and all those environments he competes in, and he plays hard. He only has one way, and you just don't see that, especially defensively. He's a really good two-way player."
Another big storyline for the Boilers is the addition of the Princeton transfer Caden Pierce. Pierce is the younger brother of Colts star wide receiver Alec Pierce, and Coach Painter is excited to have another Pierce brother in the Hoosier state.
"It's really cool especially for the family, for the parents to be able to catch a Colts game, come see the Boilers play," Painter said. "Kind of the back and forth on I-65, for them, they're going to get a lot of miles there. We're excited about Caden; he's really going to help us. You talked about losing Trey-Kaufman-Renn, we talked about the guard core. He's got a great opportunity right there at that four spot for us."
Purdue ended the 2025-2026 season falling to Arizona in the Elite 8.
Purdue begins the 2026-2027 season with an exhibition game against Ball State inside Mackey Arena on Sunday, Oct. 18th.
