Purdue Head Coach Claims New BYU Signee Kanon Catchings was 'Concerned About His Role' at Purdue

Casey Lundquist | Jun 21, 2024

Apr 8, 2024; Glendale, AZ, USA; Purdue Boilermakers head coach Matt Painter reacts against the Connecticut Huskies in the national championship game of the Final Four of the 2024 NCAA Tournament at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports / Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

On Tuesday, BYU signed top 40 recruit and former Purdue signee Kanon Catchings. Catchings picked the Cougars over schools like Florida State, Tennessee, and NC State. On Thursday, Purdue head coach Matt Painter met with the media and claimed that Catchings was "concerned about his role" at Purdue next season.

“He was concerned about his role and just wanted out of his letter. Went back the next day and said everything was good and it was just like, nah, it’s probably better if we part ways….We wish him good luck and hope everything works for him.”

Painter on Catchings decommitment pic.twitter.com/HQ2Kje2Vq1

— Boilers In The Stands (@BoilersInStands) June 20, 2024

“Not at all dissappointed," Painter said when asked how disappointed about the Catchings situation. "We want people that want to be here...He was concerned about his role and just wanted out of his letter."

Painter continued, insinuating that it was Purdue that made the decision to part ways after Catchings raised his concern. "[Catchings] went back the next day and said everything was good and it was just like, nah, it’s probably better if we part ways. If you're questioning things before things start, it's kind of the uncertainty that every freshman that comes in has those certain thoughts. You compete and earn your way into a role. I can't anoint a role to somebody out of thin air. You walk in and you compete...if anything it's just the happiness of your players and the happiness of your team. It's competition and it's difficult, but if right away you've sensed that you're starting off on the wrong foot and someone wants out of their letter, it's probably best that you go your separate ways. We wish him good luck and hope everything works for him.”

Update: Kanon's Mom, Tauja, responded to Painter's comments via the Indy Star. “Kanon’s goal when he committed to Purdue was just to play college basketball,” Tauja Catchings told the IndyStar. “His goal now is to play in the NBA. Purdue has been more of a traditional program, which I like. ... But I think Kanon was probably looking for a program that can support his timeline.”

BYU and new head coach Kevin Young were the beneficiaries of the breakup. The Cougars had just hired new assistant coach Tim Fanning. Fanning was Catchings' coach at Overtime Elite. The Catchings-Fanning relationship helped BYU once Catchings was released from his letter of intent.

Ironically, it's not the first time Matt Painter has taken a shot at a former player of his that ended up at BYU. When Matt Haarms transferred from Purdue to BYU, Painter took public shots at his former player. “No, not at all,” Painter said when asked if he was concerned about the Haarm's transfer. “When you look at the center position where Matt Haarms was, we tried to play Trevion Williams and him together. It didn’t work,” said Painter. “To his defense, he got hurt and he had two concussions. I don’t know how things changed for him and that’s what I kind of look at it. I try to take a step back and look at it from their perspective...Are you gonna go play against better competition in the league that you went to? No.”

Painter continued, saying Haarms got beat out. "But in reality, Trevion Williams beat him (Haarms) out. That’s it. Matt was starting at the beginning of the year, he had some injuries, but I was really looking forward to him coming back and embracing [competition]. You know, hey, I had two concussions, I was hurt, let’s fight here. Because that’s what you do."

Haarms ended up being named the defensive player of the year in the WCC and helped BYU to a six seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Speaking of roles, Catchings will have a role for BYU in 2024-2025. Whether he fits into the starting lineup right away or not remains to be seen, but his combination of size and skill will be hard to keep off the court.