Gold and Black Radio: The latest on Purdue's July Evaluation

 In the July 15, 2025 edition, host Derek Schulz and GoldandBlack.com basketball expert Brian Neubert hash out the latest in Purdue’s July evaluation period and much more. 

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PURDUE COMMIT LUKE ERTEL KEEPS PROVING IT

(The following is an excerpt from Brian Neubert’s July Takeaways column)
Purdue 2026 commitment Luke Ertel has shown everyone this spring and summer that he can shoot, that he can create, that he can use ball screens, that he can lead a team, that he can be ultra-productive against high-end competition and that he can win. All of it.

This week in Rock Hill, it was about mettle.

Coming back from an ankle injury that idled him for a few weeks at the end of June, Ertel played excellent at Palmetto Road, played extraordinarily hard and did so with inordinate weight to bear. With teammate Terrence Hayes out with an injury, Ertel was really Indiana Elite’s only ball-handler. In the semifinals against pro-loaded Game Elite, Ertel took the floor with four forwards at times. (We’re classifying wing-ish Dikembe Shaw as a forward.)

Ertel played every minute of Indiana Elite’s two games Sunday before sitting out Sunday’s consolation finale to rest for games in California this weekend.

More: On Luke Ertel in Rock Hill

THE 2027 POINT GUARD HUNT

Purdue priority Jaxson Davis erupted at EYBL this past week, which will undoubtedly thicken the field for him. But he’s seemed pretty high on the Boilermakers early on in his recruitment and is expected to visit again after July. It won’t be easy, but the need at point guard in 2027 may be more acute than it would seem and Davis profiles as a Purdue type and seems to get that. Plus, he’s relatively local being in Chicagoland.

Kevin Savage Jr. from the Atlanta area is a big-time defender in addition to being a penetrator, facilitator and shot-maker. He’s another priority for Purdue who seems to have interest.

Lastly, Purdue is going to make its case with elite Texan Reese Alston, who Painter would have seen in Richmond over the weekend.

Jason Gardner Jr. from Fishers has a Purdue offer and was good enough at Palmetto Road to perhaps really go national if he hadn’t already. He is more of a slashing scoring guard, but would be categorized as and recruited as a point guard. He is stronger physically at this stage, but think Jaden Ivey.

Long story short: Purdue is swinging for the fences at PG in 2027 and with Braden Smith‘s success at its back, it has more street cred with guards today than ever before. Ivey, too.