Boilermakers Country

Purdue Basketball Extends Offer to 4-Star Center in 2026 Class

Purdue extended an offer to 6-foot-10 center Ethan Taylor this week. The Kansas native is a four-star talent who ranks as a top-60 player in the 2026 class.

Dustin Schutte

Purdue head coach Matt Painter
Purdue head coach Matt Painter / Nikos Frazier / USA TODAY NETWORK
In this story:

Matt Painter and the Purdue basketball staff is already looking ahead to the 2026 recruiting class. On Tuesday, four-star center Ethan Taylor announced that he had received an offer from the Boilermakers.

Taylor is listed as a 6-foot-10, 230-pound center in the 2026 recruiting class. The talented prospect out of Shawnee, Kan. ranks as the No. 58 overall player of the cycle.

"After a great conversation with the coaching staff I am very bless to receive an offer from (Purdue)," Taylor wrote on X.

Purdue becomes the fifth school to extend an offer to Taylor. He's also received interest from Missouri, Missouri State, Missouri-Kansas City and Tennessee.

According to KCHShoops.com, Taylor averaged 10.4 points, 8.9 rebounds and 3.6 blocks per game during the 2023-24 high school season at Shawnee Mission Northwest. He also recorded seven double-doubles and had 12 games with at least four blocked shots.

Recruiting talented big men is obviously nothing new for Painter and the Boilermakers. Purdue has become known for putting talented centers on the floor, including JaJuan Johnson, A.J. Hammons, Isaac Haas, Matt Haarms and Zach Edey.

On the 2024-25 roster, Purdue has a pair of 7-footers in sophomore Will Berg and freshman Daniel Jacobsen.

Purdue has offered six players in the 2026 recruiting class, four of which are guards. Taylor is the only center currently to receive an offer from the Boilers.

Related stories on Purdue basketball

PAINTER NAMED ASSISTANT FOR USA SELECT TEAM: Purdue coach Matt Painter will spend a few weeks working with USA Basketball Men's Select Team, preparing the Men's National Team for the 2024 Olympics. CLICK HERE

MATHIAS, JONES MAKE PACERS SUMMER LEAGUE ROSTER: Former Purdue guards Lance Jones and Dakota Mathias will be teammates, joining the Indiana Pacers for this year's NBA Summer League. CLICK HERE

Published
Dustin Schutte

DUSTIN SCHUTTE

Home/Recruiting