:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/70727402/usa_today_17941289.0.jpg)
Purdue’s three seniors in Trevion Williams, Sasha Stefanovic, and Eric Hunter Jr. all had an option to return for the 2022-23 season due to the COVID exemptions because of last year. Tre and Sasha have already made formal announcements confirming what we thought previously before the season: that they would be pursuing professional opportunities and forgoing that bonus year.
Today, Hunter did as well, only his was extremely interesting:
Thank you pic.twitter.com/LM1xfvn1Ta
— Eric Hunter Jr. (@ebuckets2_) April 8, 2022
“...while still maintaining my college eligibility.”
I have to admit that Hunter’s chances in the NBA are probably small, but there is no harm in going through the evaluation process. At worst, he can play for a few seasons in Europe, and there is no shame in that. But...
“...while still maintaining my college eligibility.”
It seems that door is open just a crack for next season, and Purdue could use a steady hand in its backcourt with Isaiah Thompson transferring and Jaden Ivey headed to the NBA. As of right now there are two open scholarships, too:
Purdue Basketball Scholarship Grid
| Player | ('22-'23) | ('23-'24) | ('24-'25) | ('25-'26) | ('26-'27) | ('27-'28) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | ('22-'23) | ('23-'24) | ('24-'25) | ('25-'26) | ('26-'27) | ('27-'28) |
| David Jenkins Jr. | Grad Transfer | |||||
| Mason Gillis | RS Junior | RS Senior | FREE COVID YEAR | |||
| Brandon Newman | RS Junior | RS Senior | FREE COVID YEAR | |||
| Ethan Morton | Junior | Senior | FREE COVID YEAR | |||
| Zach Edey | Junior | Senior | FREE COVID YEAR | |||
| Caleb Furst | Sophomore | Junior | Senior | |||
| Trey Kaufman-Renn | RS Freshman | RS Soph. | RS Junior | RS Senior | ||
| Brian Waddell | RS Freshman | RS Soph. | RS Junior | RS Senior | ||
| Fletcher Loyer | Freshman | Sophomore | Junior | Senior | ||
| Braden Smith | Freshman | Sophomore | Junior | Senior | ||
| Camden Heide | Freshman | Sophomore | Junior | Senior | ||
| William Berg | Freshman | Sophomore | Junior | Senior | ||
| Myles Colvin | Freshman | Sophomore | Junior | Senior | ||
| Dravyn Gibbs-Lawhorn | Freshman | Sophomore | Junior | Senior | ||
| Jack Benter | Freshman | Sophomore | Junior | Senior | ||
| Scholarships Used | 12 | 13 | 13 | 8 | 2 | 0 |
| Scholarships Left | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 11 | 13 |
We’ll obviously monitor this situation. Who wants a backcourt of Hunter and Nijel Pack?