Purdue Preseason Player Prospectus: Camden Heide

During the run-up to the Sept. 26 start of formal preseason practice in advance of the 2023-2024 college basketball season, GoldandBlack.com is taking an in-depth and analytical look at each of the Boilermakers’ expected rotation players.

In today’s Purdue Preseason Player Prospectus, redshirt freshman Camden Heide.

Prior Previews: Zach Edey | Caleb Furst | Trey Kaufman-Renn | Mason Gillis

ABOUT CAMDEN HEIDE

Redshirted last season due to injury and Purdue’s depth, Camden Heide now debuts after really impressing during his developmental season. Coaches gushed over him and teammates spoke of him as a starter-caliber player now. Fans’ eyes were caught by his pre-game-warmup dunking.

Now, one of Purdue’s best athletes and most physically gifted personnel pieces figures to have a crack at a really prominent role, albeit on a crowded roster that will have to shake things out the next few weeks, if not months.

Heide’s off to a strong start, though, insofar as the Europe trip can be considered meaningful. In basically two-and-a-half games, he averaged 6.3 points, generated steals, rebounded really well, shot a cool 86 percent from the floor and was perfect on three attempts from three.

HEIDE’S PROJECTED ROLE

It remains to be seen, as it does for a number of players in this positional category. Heide, Myles Colvin, Brian Waddell and maybe Lance Jones all will contend for minutes at the 3/small forward/wing position, perhaps some big-guard minutes.

Purdue has every reason to love its options there, but October may be separation time here. It should be a battle.

Many seasons, a 6-foot-8ish, 200-pounder with perimeter skill like Heide would find his way to up-tempo, stretch-4 minutes, but given Purdue’s depth at that the forward position, this may not be one of those seasons, though Heide would probably be in that mix should someone get hurt or something.

HEIDE ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT

Hard to gauge improvement for someone who’s not played in a game yet, but Purdue’s new wings are too big, too athletic and too interchangeable to not be defensive assets. That will be one of their biggest keys. That and just finding their fits offensively, complementing Zach Edey, knowing the plays and certainly making open threes, playing a spot that will get open looks off ball reversals and such.

HEIDE’S KEYS TO SUCCESS

• Defense and rebounding. The 3 is not going to be a position Purdue runs a ton of offense through. They have to find value to bring outside of offense. The garbage-man opportunist role is right there for the taking for these new guys. When athletic players play with energy, productivity tends to find them.

• Consistency from three. Opportunism is the name of the game here. Heide has shown real glimpses of potency from three and the looks will come.

• Run, run, run. Purdue will play through Edey, Braden Smith and others more than anyone, but its first option off defensive stops may often be Heide or Colvin running the wing. This is a much more athletic Boilermaker team than last season with more capability to “steal points” than last year. Again, when athletic players play with energy, productivity tends to find them.

• Health. Not much control to wield over this part of it, but Heide has had the misfortune of being followed around by injury the past few years. The bruised back he suffered in Europe is well behind him, but it would be a welcomed sight for all involved for him to break his run of tough luck on this front.

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