Purdue’s Seniors Not Running From National Championship Expectations

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The words “Final Four” weren’t even mentioned when Purdue’s senior leaders talked about their goals for the 2025-26 season. Their focus is on something they fell short of accomplishing in 2024: bringing a national championship back to West Lafayette.

Monday, Purdue held its first summer practice, the first step in what’s expected to be a big year for the Boilermakers. It’s a significant season for Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer, and Trey Kaufman-Renn, who have all spent their entire careers with the same program.

In today’s era of college basketball, it’s easy to explore other opportunities that are out there, but those three didn’t. Instead, they all returned to Purdue with one goal in mind.

“Talking to (Braden), we all came back to win a national championship and put ourselves in position to keep this program at the top,” Loyer told reporters on Monday.

Purdue’s senior group has already accomplished a great deal during their time in the program. Over the last three seasons, the Boilermakers have won a pair of Big Ten regular season championships, a Big Ten Tournament title, three multi-team events, and have appeared in the National Championship Game.

Individually, they’ve all made their mark on Purdue basketball, too. Smith, Loyer, and Kaufman-Renn are all 1,000-point scorers. Smith is the reigning Big Ten Player of the Year and Bob Cousy Award winner. Kaufman-Renn was a first-team All-Big Ten selection. Loyer is a two-time All-Big Ten honorable mention. Both Smith and Kaufman-Renn were All-Americans.

The return of those three leaders is a big reason why the Boilers are tabbed in many preseason polls as the top-ranked team in the country entering the 2025-26 campaign. The other reason is due to the additions Purdue made from the transfer portal and the recruiting trail.

Purdue adds 6-foot-11 center Oscar Cluff, who averaged more than 17 points and 12 rebounds per game last season at South Dakota State. Coach Matt Painter also landed 6-foot-7 forward Liam Murphy, a 42.3% shooter from three-point range at North Florida during the 2024-25 season.

Additionally, Purdue brings in top-50 prospect and four-star guard Omer Mayer, a EuroLeague player out of Israel, as well as 6-foot-3 combo guard Antione West Jr.

Cluff and Mayer were absent from Monday’s practice, but those additions fill some holes Purdue had last season. On paper, Purdue looks like it has all the pieces necessary to make another deep run in March Madness. But games aren’t played on paper.

“You have to get everyone together and see what it looks like practically, as a team,” Kaufman-Renn said. “That’s the biggest process, getting the guys here, not as far as playing, but just jelling with all the new guys. I think if that happens, I don’t see why we’re not the best team in the country.”

Everyone in West Lafayette would tell you there’s a lot of improvement needed for Purdue to make a run at a national title. They are no illusions about skipping through the Big Ten season and the NCAA Tournament without putting in the work during the summer and fall. That’s why Smith, Loyer and Kaufman-Renn are focused on improving every single day.

That’s why Smith, who has already accomplished so much on the floor, believes his most important job this season comes from a leadership role.

“Just being a better leader, helping these guys out,” Smith said, “and hopefully, bringing a title home.”

Purdue’s senior trio is a group that has faced pressure before, and they’re not afraid of expectations. Most importantly, they’re confident that, with the right formula, they’re capable of reaching college basketball’s highest peak.

PURDUE’S RETURNING SCORING PRODUCTION: Purdue returns 86% of its offensive production from the 2024-25 season. How does that stack up to the other 17 teams in the Big Ten? CLICK HERE

THOUGHTS ON PURDUE’S FIRST PRACTICE: Purdue held its first summer practice of 2025 on Monday. Here are a few quick thoughts and takeaways from what we saw at Cardinal Court in early June. CLICK HERE

PURDUE PLAYER INTERVIEWS: Following Purdue’s first basketball practice of the summer, Trey Kaufman-Renn, Braden Smith, Daniel Jacobsen, and Fletcher Loyer all met with reporters. CLICK HERE

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