Thursday Throwdown: Assemble Your Ultimate Matt Painter Team

Hi folks, we’re back with more off-season content (although I’m in the process of getting baseball coverage up and running)!

As we’re all painfully aware, Matt Painter’s regular season dominance hasn’t paid dividends in March (yet). The Boilermakers have been agonizingly close to the Final 4 but haven’t managed to get over the hump. They also have a habit of losing to lower seeds. I’m told something like that happened this year, but that doesn’t sound right....must have been a fever dream.

Anyway, I asked the crew to assemble their best tournament starting 5 using any player from Coach Painter’s time at Purdue. The results were interesting.

Whose team do you have for your ultimate Purdue run through March?

Jed

This is a great question and one you have to be careful about not just throwing the 5 best players out there because they wouldn’t necessarily work well together and, at the end of the day, there is only one basketball.

Guard: E’Twaun Moore

Guard: Jaden Ivey

Guard: Dakota Mathias

Forward: Robbie Hummel

Forward: Caleb Swanigan

I know it would be really easy to go with Edey because of the accolades and rightfully so but we have seen how the game is evolving to a game that really enhances the ability to score at all levels. This team literally puts five guys on the floor who can score at all three levels while being threats to shoot from distance at a high rate. Now, this group does lack a bit of overall height but Swanigan proved he can play the five in college at a high level and Hummel at the forward position alongside him gives Purdue two players in the frontcourt who are 6’8 or taller.

The big key for this five is the ability to hit shots from behind the arc at an incredibly high rate. Swanigan (45 his 2^nd year), Hummel (39% Career), Mathias (42% Career), Ivey (36% his 2^nd year), and Moore (38% Career) provide about as good of a starting five that can shoot from beyond the arc as you could put on the court at once while also not sacrificing much from the standpoint of being able to get into the lane and score as well. Spacing on the offensive end would be incredible as Mathias and Moore showed an ability to post up at times in their careers against smaller guard while Ivey and Moore had the ability to be shot creators at an elite level.

Ledman

In March, it has been proven that you need athleticism and guards to make deep runs and the duo of Moore and Ivey are arguably the best two guards Painter has ever had. There is a reason Moore played in the NBA for as long as he did and why Ivey will be a mainstay for the next decade.

PG: Lewis Jackson

G: E’Twaun Moore

G: Jaden Ivey

G: Dakota Mathias

C: Zach Edey

Bench: Carsen Edwards, Ryan Cline, David Teague, Carl Landry, JaJuan Johnson, Robbie Hummel, Caleb Swanigan, Chris Kramer

This team has everything you need. Elite shooting? We’ve got Mathias, Cline, and Teague. Rebounding? Edey, Biggie, Landry, JJ. Quickness and ability to make your own shot? Edwards, Ivey, LewJack. Cold blooded assassin who will take and make a shot when you need one? Edwards, Moore, Teague. The team can play big with Edey or go smaller with Landry. They can play big and run with JJ or slow things down a bit with Edey. They’ve got shooters at every position. And, I’ve got my defensive stopper in Chris Kramer. Tell me you don’t believe this team (if fully healthy) can win against anyone in this year’s tournament.

Gabi

PG: Carsen Edwards

SG: E’Twaun Moore

SG/SF: Jaden Ivey

PF: Robbie Hummel (pre-injury)

C: Caleb Swanigan

This was harder than I thought. Purdue has had some absolute ballers come through but I wanted athleticism and shooters on my starting lineup. When I first created my team I had Kramer and Johnson listed then realized I was just recreating the Baby Boiler era so switched it up. Carsen is a walking bucket and has the ability like we know to create his own shot and drop 40 on a team. One of my all time favorite players and his performance in March alone lands him a spot on my team. Hummel and Biggie can dominate the paint as well as shoot from the outside… it was hard to exclude our NPOY here but they are a step (or two) quicker and more versatile. Ivey is just so explosive and quick that is makes it hard for defenders to keep up with him. More high ball screens please! And of course one of Painter’s best recruits E’Twaun Moore. He can shoot, he can pass, he can drive the lane, Moore does a little of everything and does it well. Hang the banner, we winning it all, so long as we don’t get bounced by FDU first (too soon?)

Chase

PG: Carsen Edwards

SG: E’Twaun Moore

SF: Dakota Mathias

PF: Robbie Hummel

C: Zach Edey

For starters, give me man in the middle who I think will go down as the best Purdue basketball player of all-time after he returns next year, Zach Edey. I think he already has a case, and among the players in Matt Painter’s tenure, at this point it would be disrespectful to leave him out.

E’twaun Moore is my SG. With a career three-point percentage of .440, he might find himself in a spot-up shooting role on my team, but no one can do it better.

If there’s one position that Matt Painter hasn’t had a plethora of talent at, it’s point guard. No disrespect to Chris Kramer or Lewis Jackson, but I can’t afford to have a starter who other teams can do the Caitlin Clark wave-off at to double Big Maple. So, what the heck, give me Carsen Edwards at the one. He can handle the ball as well as anyone, so although it’s not his natural position, there’s just too much talent at other positions to ignore.

Another layup, especially given how well he would fit in with Zach, is Robbie Hummel at Power Forward. His elite outside shooting to go with solid rim protection just edges him over the more interior-oriented Biggie Swanigan.

All that said, what’s going to separate my five from the rest, is exactly what Purdue was missing this season, especially in the tournament. Elite outside scoring. That’s why my fifth player is going to be the 42% three-point shooting cowboy, Dakota Mathias. An underrated defender in his own right with a trigger John Wayne would be proud of, he will round out a team that it could only be stopped from deep by an act of God.

So with Zach and the middle and Carsen Edwards as the worst, yes worst, outside shooter, I doubt anyone is going to be able to contend with this squad.

Garrett

*Note - As a newly minted Boilermaker fan, I helped Garrett with his roster. He gave the type of player he was looking for, and I provided the options.

PG: Jaden Ivey

SG: Carsen Edwards

SF: David Teague

PF: Robbie Hummel

C: Zach Edey

Style of Play

Surround Edey with shooters, and 1 top notch play maker. Jaden and Carsen have the bright green light to attack early. When things settle in the half court, it’s all about controlling the ball, feeding Zach and paying off open jumpers. Late in the clock, Carsen and Jaden can attack the best match-up, and either finish at the rim or kick to open shooters. Edey is lifted to the free throw line with 10 seconds left on the shot clock to clear the lane.

Drew

PG: Jaden Ivey

SG: E’Twaun Moore

SF: Vince Edwards

PF: Robbie Hummel

C: JaJaun Johnson

Bench

PG: Chris Kramer

SG: Carsen Edwards

PG/C: Biggie

Style of Play

I decided to change things up. I’m putting together a team that thrives in transition. We’re running from the opening tip. At the same time, I didn’t want to be forced into a small ball line-up. I was tempted to put E’Twaun at SF, but I’m creating a modern team with two multi-talented wings with size capable of scoring on all 3 levels.

Vince is my surprise pick. I don’t think he’s a top 5 player in the Painter era, but he’s exactly what I want on the wing. He’s a 6’7” athlete capable of finishing at the rim while still shooting 40% from 3. He’s a lock down defender, and we’re jumping passing lanes and turning up the pressure with this lineup.

JaJaun is my other surprise pick. Much like Vince, this comes down to style of play. JaJaun runs like a gazelle but still gives me a post option in the half court. Better yet, he’s got a silky jumper from the free throw line, giving my guards and wings room to attack the basket. Oh, and he’s a killer in the pick and roll. He’s leading the nation in alley oops finishes on this team with Jaden pulling strings.

Speaking of Jaden, this is his team. He’s the most physically talented player in the Painter era, and I want him to attack. We’re spreading the court with 3 shooters, giving him an athletic center to finish at the rim and letting him do his best Ja Morant impersonation. He’s going to turn the ball over some, but that’s built into my up-tempo style of play.

I went back and forth on Carsen and E’Twaun, but settled on starting Smooge and bringing Carsen off the bench. E’Twaun’s all around scoring game is a better fit for this team than Carsen’s 3 point barrage. He’s a 40% shooter from deep, but can also hit from mid-range and finish at the rim. He also gives me more size on defense, which is a consideration. Overall, I think he’s a better compliment to Jaden than Carsen, and this is Jaden’s team.

Bench

We’re only going 8 deep. I want my guys to play without looking over their shoulder. I’m all about in-game rhythm, and that’s hard to accomplish when you’re constantly tinkering with the line-up.

I’m bringing in Kramer as my defensive specialist. If the other team is running 3 guards and Vince is having trouble keeping up on defense, I can change to a 3 guard lineup and let Kramer ramp up the defense. In fact, one of the main issues with this team is Jaden and Carsen on defense, both are capable, but were occasionally unwilling, defenders. That’s won’t fly with Kramer on the squad. Plus, his physical driving style on offense should work with this squad.

Carsen off the bench is a no brainer. He can come in at the 1 or 2 for either Jaden or Smooge. When he’s on the floor, I want him looking for shots. If he’s hot, he stays on the court and I adjust accordingly. If he’s having an off day, he can play in 7-10 minute spurts until his gets hot.

Finally, I’m bringing Biggie off the bench at the 5. I started JaJuan because I see him as the overall better athlete for my style of play, but Biggie can get it done as well. If we have trouble on the boards, or JaJuan is getting bullied by a big center, having Biggie in reserve is perfect. He can still get up and down the court, and his ability to rebound and start the fast break with an outlet pass will come in handy. He’s not a high flier or shot blocker like JaJuan, but he can still spread the floor and give us a legit low post option on the block.