Welcome to “Big Ten offseason at a glance,” a team-by-team look at the conference at the start of the summer. We’ll examine roster movement for each Big Ten roster and give an early outlook for each Big Ten program for the 2026-27 season.
Up next: Purdue (30-9 overall in 2025-26, 13-7 in Big Ten play)
Previously: Penn State, Rutgers, Minnesota, Northwestern, Washington, Wisconsin, Iowa, Maryland, Oregon
In its final season with Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer and Trey Kaufman-Renn, Purdue fell short of its second Final Four with an Elite Eight loss to Arizona.
Matt Painter enters his 22nd season at his alma mater after achieving a 30-win season for the third time. His 501 career wins make him one of only 21 active coaches with that many. He has guided the Boilermakers to the second weekend of the tournament nine times, reaching the national title game in 2024.
Purdue roster movement
Players returning with eligibility: Omer Mayer, C.J. Cox, Gicarri Harris, Daniel Jacobsen, Jack Benter, Antione West Jr., Raleigh Burgess
Players departing due to exhausted eligibility: Braden Smith, Trey Kaufman-Renn, Fletcher Loyer, Oscar Cluff, Liam Murphy
Players who departed via transfer portal: None
Players arriving via transfer portal: Caden Pierce (from Princeton)
Players arriving from high school/overseas: Luke Ertel, Jacob Webber, Sinan Huan, Jamyn Sondrup, Rivers Knight
With its generational core, Purdue reloaded differently than most of its Big Ten counterparts. Outside of Caden Pierce, Painter brought in the eighth-best high school recruiting class, highlighted by prized in-state target Luke Ertel.
What to like about Purdue
Given his success, it’s difficult not to like many things about Purdue, but this year was about retention. Shortly after the season’s conclusion, every player with eligibility remaining announced their return for another year. The transition will undoubtedly be easier with seven returners.
Among the returning Boilermakers, sophomore Omer Mayer is primed for a breakout campaign. He was a regular in the rotation last season, showing flashes of stardom when given the opportunity. Without Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer on the floor, his minutes will increase.
The star of the incoming freshman class, Ertel, has the potential to be Purdue’s next star player. The four-star guard from Mount Vernon High School was the No. 1 player in the Hoosier state and No. 46 nationally in the final RSCI rankings for the class of 2026.
The lone transfer of the class, Pierce committed to Purdue in the middle of his redshirt season at Princeton. Pierce was the 2024 Ivy League player of the year, scoring 11.9 points per game over the three seasons. Painter continues to use the portal to fill a hole rather than assemble a new roster.
What to question with Purdue
The question looming in West Lafayette is how Purdue will fare without Smith, Loyer and Kaufman-Renn on the floor.
For the past four years, the three in-state products have run the show, leading the Boilermakers to some of the program’s best seasons. Purdue lost 65 percent of its scoring from the trio and big man Oscar Cluff, leaving a gaping hole in scoring production.
None of the returning players were top options offensively and it will be something to look out for in the early season.
Purdue’s outlook for the 2026-27 season
Here’s Purdue’s Big Ten schedule for next season:
Home: Iowa, Maryland, Nebraska, Northwestern, Ohio State, UCLA, USC
Away: Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Oregon, Penn State, Washington, Wisconsin
Home/Away: Illinois, Indiana, Rutgers
Though Purdue may look different than it has over the last four years, the Boilermakers should still be a contender in the conference. The combination of returning players and talented newcomers has the potential to mesh well, especially within Matt Painter’s system.
Final Four expectations are a stretch next season, but this is a retooling effort rather than a rebuild in West Lafayette.
See More: Commentary, 2026-27 Big Ten preview, Purdue Boilermakers