Smotherman Gains Star, Final Rivals Rankings Released

2013 Purdue recruit Basil Smotherman jumped from a 3-star to a 4-star recruit in the final Rivals.com recruit rankings of the season, giving the Boilers three 4-star players who will be arriving on campus in approximately two months. Smotherman was ranked as the No. 112 player in the country on the list.

Fellow Purdue commits Bryson Scott and Kendall Stephens were also on the list, coming in even higher at No.s 75 and 61, respectively.

These recruits will join a team consisting of more guys that were 4-star recruits coming out of high school than anything else, as Anthony Johnson, Terone Johnson, Ronnie Johnson, Rapheal Davis and AJ Hammons all received the prestigious rankings. As Purdue fans well know, however, the rankings don't necessarily translate into immediate on-court success. This is Mat Painter's third class in the last four years to have more 4-star players than 3-stars.

By comparison, the 2012 class had A.J. Hammons at No. 77, Ronnie Johnson at No. 94, Rapheal Davis at No. 96, and Jay Simpson at No. 112 with all but Davis being rated as a four-star commitment.

In the team rankings Purdue will likely move up as Stephens was No. 59, Scott was No. 80, and Smotherman was unranked in the last series of team rankings.

With the spring recruiting period just opening up in the last week and two scholarships open for next year, most think Purdue will at least try to add to this class.

One interesting note about the rankings is Derek Willis, a former Purdue verbal who is now planning on going to Kentucky, came in ranked lower than all three Purdue recruits, at No. 115.