Matt Painter Talks Transfer Portal Philosophy: 'I'll Go in When I Have To'
ROSEMONT, Ill. — The goal for Matt Painter is to keep doing what he's been doing throughout his 20-year coaching career at Purdue. He wants to continue to recruit high school players and utilize the transfer portal minimally. But even he admits that that philosophy could change at some point.
Painter has an old-school mindset when it comes to college basketball: recruit, develop and retain. Even in today's era — as players essentially treat programs like turnstiles — it's a method that has worked in West Lafayette.
Over the last four years, Purdue has recruited just two players from the transfer portal: Lance Jones (2023-24) and David Jenkins Jr. (2022-23). Both were graduate transfers and both played an integral role in the Boilers' successes over the past two seasons.
Purdue has enjoyed a lot of success with Painter's philosophy, even the coach admits that me may have to get more active in the portal down the road.
"I think I'll go into the portal when I have to. I don't think it will be my decision," Painter said at Big Ten Media Days. "We've taken two guys out of the portal in two years — I do not think we can continue at that clip. From a numbers standpoint, trying to keep 13 scholarship guys happy is really hard."
For the most part, though, guys don't just up and leave Purdue.
Since 2020, only seven total players have left Purdue's program and entered the transfer portal, per 247Sports. Of that group, five remained in West Lafayette for at least four seasons before exploring their options.
"A little bit of us is we redshirt," Painter said. "That piece of it allows us to soften the blow of it sometimes. Because guys normally aren't going to redshirt and the (immediately) leave."
Painter acknowledged that he's in a little better position than other coaches in college basketball. He's established his culture in West Lafayette and has 20 years of success to point to when it comes to recruiting, developing and retaining players.
For new coaches, the challenge is much more difficult, especially in the microwave society of college athletics. It's essential for new hires to build a team quickly and compete at a high level.
"The people that are staying with it and not getting into (the portal) are the ones who have been in this league the longest," Painter said. "But you're still having moments where you have to take a Lance Jones or a David Jenkins (Jr.) with it.
"I think everybody would rather do it the way we do it, but I don't think everybody is in that position because there's so much change in college basketball."
As of right now, Painter and his program are in a great position. The Boilermakers return three starters from last year's Final Four squad in Braden Smth, Fletcher Loyer and Trey Kaufman-Renn. Purdue also has returning experience in Caleb Furst, Myles Colvin and Cam Heide. Plus, a top-20 recruiting class arrived in West Lafayette earlier this year.
At some point, Painter might have to jump into the transfer portal with more regularity. But the fact the he didn't have to during the offseason is a big reason why the media believes the Boilers will "three-peat" as Big Ten champs.
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