14 Days To Purdue Basketball: Dru Anthrop

He's the Bastard Son of Bobby Buckets. He is the walk-on that is on scholarship. He is the last remaining member of the Walk-On Whiteout. He is Dru Anthrop, on scholarship this season mostly because Patrick Bade decided he wanted to play football instead of basketball. That freed up a scholarship for this season only, so Anthrop was the beneficiary of it and he was able to get a full ride for this season. Some may know him for his little brother, who has scored 6,872,901 touchdowns this season for Lafayette Central Catholic and is committed to the football program for next year. Anthrop is his own man, however.

Dru has played sparingly these past two seasons. With eight career points (and a career high three vs. Alcorn State last year) we don't expect a lot out of him, but he could serve in a Bobby Buckets role. He's going to be a hustler and a sparkplug when he gets into games, but with the depth we have at guard I think he'll be a backup point guard at best.

As a freshman, Anthrop boasted a team best 100% field goal and free throw percentage. I (Andy, from last year's profile) didn't look this up, but he might have played the most efficient 15 minutes of anyone in college basketball. 

In all seriousness, it's difficult to write a bio on a player that's played 15 minutes and only shot the ball once. But if his high school career with Lafayette Central Catholic is any indication of his potential, he might surprise some Purdue fans sometime down the road.

Anthrop averaged 23 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals during his senior year. He finished his high school career with 1,298-career points. He was also recognized as the Lafayette Journal & Courier Small School Player of the Year his junior and senior year and honorable mention for nearly every all-state award out there.

Anthrop was also a state champion in baseball for Central Catholic, so he knows how to win. As a junior on scholarship I suspect we'll see a lot more of him this year, but in what role I don't know. He could be a defensive stopper, a backup point guard, or a Buckets-type three-point threat.