Throughout the offseason, Purdue Boilermakers on SI will highlight members of the 2025-26 Purdue men’s basketball roster as part of a “Welcome Back/Welcome Aboard” series. This series will focus on recaps from the 2024-25 campaign and look ahead to the upcoming season.
Next on the list is sophomore guard CJ Cox, who had some brilliant moments during his freshman campaign with the Boilermakers.
Even as a true freshman, expectations were high for Cox. He turned heads early during Purdue’s summer workouts and received rave reviews from assistant coach PJ Thompson before the 2024-25 campaign tipped off.
“CJ’s a bucket. I don’t know if he’s a point, he’s a bucket. He scores the ball. He can get to his pull-up, he makes tough ones, he can score,” Thompson told Raphael Davis in October. “Teaching him other things will help him down the line, but I tell him, ‘You’re not here to pass. Shoot the ball.'”
It didn’t take long for Cox to make a splash. In just his fourth career game at Purdue, the freshman scored nine points in 52 seconds against No. 2 Alabama, giving the Boilermakers a 72-65 edge with 8:21 to play. Purdue would defeat the Crimson Tide 87-78.
After 13 games, coach Matt Painter made a lineup tweak and entered Cox into the starting rotation, where he remained for the final 23 games of the year. The freshman put together some of his best performances in Big Ten play, scoring 23 points and collecting four steals in a blowout win over Nebraska. He also had an 11-point, three-steal night in a victory over Michigan.
Cox received a lot of credit for his ability to knock down jump shots, but he deserves recognition for his defensive efforts, as well. In just his first season with the Boilers, the young guard proved he can be a top-notch player on both ends of the court.
The most impressive characteristic about Cox is his fearlessness. This was a freshman who had never seen a game at Mackey Arena until the team’s first exhibition matchup against Grand Valley State. Yet in some of Purdue’s biggest games, the freshman stepped up in a big way.
I’ve already mentioned Cox’s effort against Alabama, his first “big game” wearing a Purdue uniform. He also scored 12 points in his first Big Ten road game, an 81-70 loss to Penn State. He accounted for 26 total points in back-to-back neutral-site games against Texas A&M and Auburn. In his second NCAA Tournament game, Cox scored 11 points in a win over McNeese State.
Big moments never fazed Cox, an intangible quality the freshman guard brought with him to West Lafayette. Now, with a full year of experience under his belt, expectations are going to be even higher as he enters his second season with the program.
After watching Cox for an entire season, it’s hard to believe more high-major programs weren’t willing to take a chance on him. Not only is he capable of heating up like a microwave offensively, but he’s a tough, hard-nosed defensive player who can guard the length of the floor.
That combination is useful in every program in the country. But it was Painter and his staff who won the recruiting battle, beating out a handful of Ivy League schools for the guard out of Massachusetts.
Coming out of high school, Cox was an under-recruited three-star guard. When Painter watched him play and heard about his selfless attitude, he knew Cox would be a perfect fit on Purdue’s roster.
“He’s not ranked and he’s only getting offers from the Ivy League, and it doesn’t matter,” Painter said in October. “Being ranked doesn’t matter. Who’s recruiting you doesn’t matter. (He) fits. It’s winning basketball. It’s being around somebody who wants to get their education at Purdue, wants to play at a high level, wants to compete.”
Cox’s winning mindset quickly resulted in significant playing time and, eventually, a starting role for the Boilermakers. From the moment we stepped foot in West Lafayette, he put his head down and worked to improve his game.
“He’s just come in and worked. He’s one of those guys who carries a big stick and keeps his mouth shut,” Painter said. “You can’t have enough guys like that.”
The next evolution of Cox’s game is developing more consistency on the offensive end. As we saw in wins over Yale, Alabama, Nebraska, and Michigan, he’s more than capable of heating up in the blink of an eye. He doesn’t need to become a walking flamethrower in every game, but he should be a scoring threat in every game.
Last season, Cox had 15 games in which he scored three points or less and was held scoreless nine times. Even if he knocks down two or three shots in a game, it will give the Boilermakers a little more offensive balance.
Scoring isn’t everything, but it is a big reason why Cox is on the floor.
Purdue could also use a few guys who are more aggressive off the dribble. Early in the season, Cox was hesitant to drive into the paint and finish at the rim. He seemed more comfortable as the season progressed, but it could be an element he adds to his game.
On the other end of the floor, Cox has the potential to be one of college basketball’s elite defenders at the guard position. He can apply pressure for the entire length of the floor and has quick, crafty hands that force opponents into backcourt turnovers.
Cox was already a tremendous defender, but with a full year in Purdue’s system and adjusting to the speed and strength of the college game, he could be in store for a Big Ten All-Defensive Team selection at the end of his sophomore campaign.
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