After bowing out of the 2025 NCAA tournament heartbreakingly to the Houston Cougars last month, most Purdue basketball followers probably believed that their world was coming to an end. The Boilermakers battled valiantly but eventually dropped their Sweet 16 game, 62-60, after Houston converted the go-ahead basket with just one second remaining. That type of gut punch, which still shows evidence of the bruising to the Black and Gold Nation, could be costly if hangover symptoms linger going into the next season.
That, however, does not appear to be the case in West Lafayette. As the Boilers head into their offseason to prepare for the 2025-26 season, three factors point to a favorable campaign being in the cards for Purdue. Good news, Boilermaker fans, the program is built for immediate success.
In this day and age of college basketball, off-season moves have shown to be even more important than the actual maneuvers on the court. With the transfer portal resembling a turnstile and hefty NIL deals luring prospects to and fro, the Boilermakers’ work to fill their roster has been exemplary.
The transfer-portal departures of core contributors Camden Heide (Texas) and Myles Colvin (Wake Forest) will sting. Those two, along with graduating senior Caleb Furst, will certainly be missed.
Through the efforts of head coach Matt Painter and his staff, however, those exits may soon be long forgotten.
Purdue’s big “get” via the transfer portal this spring is Oscar Cluff. A 6’11” center who started at South Dakota State last season, Cluff averaged 17.6 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game, while shooting 63.4% from the field and 77.8% from the free throw line for the Jackrabbits. He was named a first-team All-Summit League and was a member of the Summit League All-Defensive team in 2024-25.
Painter recognized a need and addressed it immediately with the addition of Cluff, who was ranked the No. 3 transfer in the country via the On3 rankings..
“We weren’t a great rebounding team (this season),” said Painter. “We were able to help ourselves there, able to help our physicality. We’re very fortunate to land somebody of that stature, but to also give us that need.”
What makes this acquisition even more outstanding is that Cluff stands to take a heavy load off of Trey Kaufman-Renn‘s shoulders down low. Coming off his 1st-team All-Big Ten season in 2024-25, the 6’9″ Kaufman-Renn will receive some much-needed help under the boards, which should allow him to avoid mismatches in the paint.
In addition to Cluff, Purdue landed another highly sought recruit, this time from halfway around the world.
6’4″ guard Omer Mayer from Tel Aviv, Israel, will bring his talents to the Purdue campus this fall after wrapping up a season of playing with Maccabi Tel Aviv. Just 18 years old and playing in arguably the second-best league in the world and Europe’s top professional league, Mayer averaged 2.6 points and 2.0 assists per game
Mayer feels confident and ready to help Purdue back to the Final Four in 2026.
“I’m excited and thankful for this opportunity,” Mayer told ESPN. “I’ve competed at the highest levels in Israel and Europe and can’t wait to help Purdue compete for a championship next season.”
Purdue’s dilemma at center was supposed to be solved with the arrival of 7’4″ Daniel Jacobsen this past season. His debut as a Boilermaker excited the home crowd; all he did against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi was score 13 points and grab seven rebounds. That initial fervor never materialized, however, because Jacobsen broke his tibia in the first minute of his second collegiate game against Northern Kentucky in November.
As a result, Jacobsen was shut down for the remainder of the season, but his freshman year was not a total waste. He took advantage of his downtime to observe and learn the ways of Purdue basketball and to get his 230-pound frame stronger for Big 10 battles.
“It was kind of hard to accept at first because I was just disappointed,” Jacobsen said. “It’s going to benefit me next year and just make me even better. More importantly for me is trying to transform my body and taking time to put on some weight, put on some size and get stronger.”
With a healthy Jacobsen plugged into the lineup with Kaufman-Renn and Cluff, Purdue’s frontcourt looks to be a formidable part of their squad.
Having those big men will be nice, but Purdue received the good news this week that their smallest starter is on board for one more run.
The last reason for hope in Boiler Nation next season may be the biggest.
First-team All-American and Big 10 POY guard Braden Smith has decided to stave off the lure of NBA riches for one more year and return for his senior season. That was not a given, taking into account how much movement there currently is for college players.
Smith took to social media to announce his intentions on Monday, April 15.
“Running it back one last time,” Smith posted 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!”
Purdue will now not have to replace their all-time assists leader. In addition to reaching that milestone in 2024-25, Smith averaged 15.8 points, 8.7 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game. This was all while shooting 42.8% from the field and 38.1% from beyond the arc.
Now that he is back in the fold, four of Purdue’s five starters return from last season’s Sweet 16 team. Only Furst departs, and Cluff is poised to take his spot.
College basketball pundits from across the nation love what Purdue has done this off-season. ESPN, in their “Way-Too-Early Top 25” for next season, ranks the Boilermakers second in the country, just behind their nemesis Houston.
Not to be outdone, The Athletic has Purdue in the top spot in their preseason poll.
The 2025-26 Purdue basketball season is shaping up to be one to remember. Purdue’s success in the transfer portal, Daniel Jacobsen’s return, and the leadership of Braden Smith hanging around for one more year have Boilermakers fans dreaming of making plans for the 2026 Final Four.
Get this, Boiler Nation: This year’s Final Four will take place just an hour’s drive from West Lafayette and Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The stars may be lining up for Purdue to make a magical championship run in 2026.
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