WEST LAFAYETTE − In a moment that would’ve baffled people if it had come from anyone other than Matt Painter, the Purdue basketball coach made a profound statement.
Trey Kaufman-Renn will be an all-Big Ten caliber player during his time with the Boilermakers.
This was in 2022, when Kaufman-Renn saw limited minutes as a redshirt freshman.
Painter, though, has always evaluated players on how he projects them as 22 year olds rather than how they perform as teenagers.
Wouldn’t you know it, Kaufman-Renn, now 22 years and 2 months old, looks like he can materialize into exactly what Painter projected.
In two exhibition games, Kaufman-Renn shot 63%, including going 7-for-7 in Wednesday’s 99-41 win over Grand Valley State. His averages through contests versus the Lakers and Creighton: 18.5 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists.
“He’s put a lot of time into his game,” Painter said. “You’ve got to have a game. You can’t just sit there and say, ‘hey, I work hard.’ But there’s got be results in there somewhere. Trey works really hard and puts in a lot of time.”
Where others point to what Purdue doesn’t have − Mason Gillis, Lance Jones and, of course, Zach Edey − as to why the Boilermakers will have a dropoff, few are pointing to what it does have.
Matt Painter.
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Is Purdue going to replicate what it did a year ago? Maybe not.
But will the Boilermakers be a team that, even after losing the two-time National Player of the Year to the NBA, is among the best in college basketball? Don’t bet against it.
Why?
Because Painter planned for this, just as he did when Carsen Edwards or Jaden Ivey or whichever star of the moment departed.
When Kaufman-Renn was playing less than 12 minutes a game two years ago, Painter had the vision. The makeup of this team is different than last season, or two seasons ago, but it still works.
Kaufman-Renn’s production in no way replaces what was lost with Edey. But if this is a consistent showing by Kaufman-Renn, it can help alleviate it.
“I just look at it as trying to do my job,” Kaufman-Renn said. “Obviously I play a lot different than Zach does and I think it’s going to be a collective team effort to try to replicate, especially the offensive and defensive production he would seem to give us.”
When Painter said Kaufman-Renn was a potential future all-Big Ten selection, he likely was thinking to this season.
One without Edey and Gillis. One where the starting guards were now upperclassmen and where Kaufman-Renn materialized as a passer as much as he did a scorer and rebounder.
Now, Kaufman-Renn will be utilized as major offensive option.
Painter told you so. He just did it before most anyone else had the foresight to see it.
“I’m looking forward to it,” Painter said. “I think he’s going to have a fantastic year.”
Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at sking@jconline.com and follow him on X and Instagram @samueltking.
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