Jaden Ivey’s play could determine the Purdue Boilermakers’ season

The Purdue Boilermakers are one of the favorites to win the Big Ten conference in the upcoming college basketball season. They are returning their top eight leading scorers from the previous season, giving them plenty of experience to weather storms throughout the season. Alongside the sheer experience, the Boilermakers also have some star power on the roster.

One player will have a big say in how Purdue’s season unfolds. Jaden Ivey, the 6-foot-4 wing, came into Purdue as a recruit ranked 89th nationally, he quickly exceeded expectations with a good freshman season averaging 10 points per game.  Averaging 10 points during anyone’s freshman year is impressive, but what makes Ivey so appealing is his potential. He flashed superstar potential at times last year, as seen in his 26-point performance in Purdue’s sole March Madness game. If Ivey breaks out this season, Purdue could be in for a huge year.

Ivey’s high-potential

Ivey’s draft stock alone proves his potential, he’s projected to be a first-rounder in next year’s draft. Scouts are eager to see Ivey’s upcoming season, many expect him to make a large jump. Here’s what one scouting report had to say about Ivey’s skillset,

Ivey is a high level athlete and a standout defender with some intriguing NBA level tools. He’s got long arms and very quick hands and can guard 1-3.

 

On the offensive end he’s at his best taking the ball into the lane and using his quickness, leaping ability and length to score in the paint.

As usual, Ivey is an intriguing prospect due to his athleticism and length. The scouting report goes on to say Ivey has an inconsistent jump shot right now, which is seen in his 25.8% shooting from three. However, his jump shot mechanics are not way off, as seen in this clip.

He has also shown he can shoot off dribble at times. In his last two games last season, Ivey was shooting 8/20 from three, that’s an impressive 40%. As mentioned, he has all the tools to really do anything. He can score at any level sometimes, he can become an elite defender, and can be an overall playmaker. This absurd finish in transition shows off Ivey’s athleticism and playmaking ability.

Ivey could be one of college basketball’s best wing players this season. To do so, Ivey needs to be ready to take the next step in his development.

Are the Boilermakers ready for a big season?

The Boilermakers could have something special brewing this season with Ivey at the helm. Ivey isn’t their only star power on the roster. Trevion Williams, their lead-scorer and rebounder last season, is returning as well. Williams averaged nearly a double-double with 15.5 points and 9.1 rebounds. Combining a highly-talented wing like Ivey with a big man who is a force usual equals a lot of success in college basketball. Add a sharp-shooter in Sasha Stefanovic who shot 40% from three, and some impressive size with Zach Edey at 7-foot-4? They have nearly everything required to make a deep March Madness run.

The ultimate deciding factor for Purdue is how Ivey performs. He must establish some consistency this season and be that dominant force for the Boilermakers. He is definitely fully capable of doing so. Ivey’s start to the season is much-anticipated, there’s only about a month-and-a-half before Purdue begins their 2021-22 campaign.

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