Purdue Adds Carmel Forward Brian Waddell to 2021 Recruiting Class

Brian Waddell joins Trey Kaufmen-Renn and 2021 Indiana Mr. Basketball Caleb Furst as the third player committed to the Purdue Basketball program for the upcoming season.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The Purdue Boilermakers added another standout player to its 2021 recruiting class Tuesday, landing a commitment from Carmel forward Brian Waddell. 

Waddell is the son of Matt Waddell, who played for the Boilermakers from 1992 to 1995 and was a starter for the team's 1994 and 1995 Big Ten title teams under head coach Gene Keady. 

Excited to announce I’ve committed to Purdue University! #boilerup pic.twitter.com/BHIDDhRrlG

— Brian Waddell (@brianwaddell112) April 21, 2021

This year as a senior at Carmel, Waddell led the Greyhounds to a 26-2 overall record and its second Class 4A state championship victory in three years. He is the third state champion to commit to Purdue this offseason. 

Carmel took a 51-46 overtime win over Lawrence North on April 3. Waddell scored 20 points and snatched 10 rebounds during the game. 

Just days after, Purdue coach Matt Painter offered Waddell to scholarship to play for the Boilermakers. He committed to the program Wednesday over Miami of Ohio and Wright State. 

Waddell — a 6-foot-7 prospect — was named to the 2021 Indiana All-Star team alongside fellow Purdue commits Caleb Furst from Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian and Trey Kaufman-Renn from Silver Creek. He averaged a team-high 15.7 points per game this year and was the Greyhounds' second-leading rebounder at 6.3 per game. 

An excellent  shooter, Waddell made 60.7 percent of his shots from the field, including 40.5 percent from beyond the arc. He also made 85.5 percent of his free throws. 

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