Two former Boilermakers join Purdue staff as graduate assistants
Purdue’s keeping one former Boilermaker around and bringing back another to fill its two graduate assistant coaching positions, as Carson Barrett and Isaiah Thompson are rounding out Matt Painter’s coaching staff in those vital G.A. positions.
They will replace term-limit departures Jared Wulbrun and Tommy Luce.
Barrett just finished a four-year Purdue career that started with the Boilermaker legacy joining the program as a walk-on, then finishing up on scholarship, as a key leader and central piece of a scout team Purdue genuinely considered to be critical to its success.
Thompson, the younger brother of staffer P.J. Thompson, played three seasons at Purdue, then two at Florida Gulf Coast, and now returns to West Lafayette.
Painter has placed considerable value on these G.A. positions, valuing former players’ understanding of Purdue’s systems and younger coaches’ ability to relate with players who can be considered peers age-wise.
“They spend a lot of time our players,” Painter said. “And you have to understand that sometimes those shooting (workout) sessions are counseling sessions, too, because they’re former players who’ve been through some things, too. They’re important sounding boards.”
Among those who have G.A.’d for Painter in recent years have been P.J. Thompson and Sasha Stefanovic, who graduated on to support-role titles at Purdue and much-expanded coaching roles this past season as the NCAA allowed more coaches to be on the bench during games and on the floor in practice. Prior, Grady Eifert was a G.A. after his Purdue career, before latching on with Micah Shrewsberry at Penn State and now Notre Dame.
Former Boilermaker grad assistants Johnny Hill and Wulbrun are now on staff at Illinois-Chicago.
