As Purdue basketball’s summer begins, five things to know

Next week, NCAA runner-up Purdue returns to the practice floor for summer workouts with a very new — but also pretty familiar — cast of characters.

In addition to players being able to work out individually and work in the weight room, teams can practice as a full squad up to four hours per week.

Here are a few things to know as the Boilermakers’ summer program begins.

• Seven freshmen will arrive this weekend in advance of the start of school Monday: Kanon Catchings, Jack Benter, Raleigh Burgess, Daniel Jacobsen, Gicarri Harris, CJ Cox and invited walk-on Aaron Fine.

Chances are, though, that Jacobsen won’t arrive right away as he’s with USA Basketball in Buenos Aires right now. Day 1 of practice at Purdue is Tuesday afternoon.

• Purdue’s scholarship crunch — it has 14 on scholarship, one over the long-standing, but perhaps soon-to-be-outdated limit — has been, or at least will be, smoothed over by an NIL-funded non-scholarship arrangement on someone’s part, on a one-year basis, GoldandBlack.com has learned. There is no NCAA rule or regulation barring such arrangements.

It is not known who will not be on scholarship, but it will not change that player’s status within the team in any way. It does stand to reason to suggest that in-state tuition would be the most workable option.

• Unlike past summers when Purdue has had players recovering from surgeries or dealing with NBA- or national team-related obligations, the Boilermakers ought to be pretty steady from an availability perspective this off-season once Jacobsen arrives. Camden Heide and Will Berg will be part of an overseas tour, but not ’til August.

Purdue seems to be healthy heading into workouts, or at least there are no known absences of note.

• Purdue will have to assume altered identities at both ends of the floor, building in both senses around veteran guards Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer and forward Trey Kaufman-Renn but also the interchangeable nature of Heide, Myles Colvin and Catchings. That last element could be particularly important to this specific team.

• Yes, there will be redshirts. No, that decision won’t be made for months.

Purdue’s six-player scholarship freshman class won’t stay at six long-term. Probably safe to expect two redshirts, though Matt Painter always keeps an open mind about everything and everyone as long as he can.

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