November 8th was the official start of National Signing Day for college basketball recruits, and Purdue didn’t disappoint. Five Purdue commits officially signed with the Boilermakers on Wednesday. This recruiting class is ranked #9 by 247Sports, headlined by 4 star recruit Kanon Catchings (No. 22 in the class). This group also includes 6’10 center Raleigh Burgess (No. 136), another 7 footer Daniel Jacobsen (No. 192), Brownstown Central star Jack Benter (No. 252), and an under the radar guard out of Massachusetts CJ Cox ( No. 256).

Kanon Catchings:

Catchings is one of the most versatile recruits in the 2024 class. Standing at 6’8 and shooting and controlling the ball with such ability is very impressive. Kanon Catchings is bound to play pro ball, his Aunt, Tamika Catchings is one of the all-time best WNBA players. His Mother, Tauja Catchings played basketball at the University of Illinois, and his Grandfather Harvey Catchings played in the NBA. Former Brownsburg basketball star, who is now playing with Overtime Elite is the only Indiana-born athlete to play with Overtime Elite in its history. Purdue fans should be very excited about Kanon, he is the start of a new generation of Purdue Basketball.

Raleigh Burgess:

Purdue Basketball adds another Center, surprisingly he isn’t 7 feet tall, but he’s 6’10. Burgess lives in Cincinnati, OH, which is not too far from his Indiana Elite team which he plays for. Burgess is a very talented big man that can handle and shoot the ball with ease. With the ability to shoot the ball as a big man, a lot of schools were looking at Burgess, including Indiana, Ohio State, Iowa, Virginia, and Wisconsin. But Purdue ended up coming out with the commitment, and Burgess gets to stay close to home. I personally love this signing, as Purdue hasn’t had many shooting big men in the past, and Burgess should change the way that recruits look at Purdue in the future.

Daniel Jacobsen:

Jacobsen is the newest recruit for the Boilermakers this season, signing with the team on November 3rd. Jacobsen chose Purdue over teams like, Wisconsin, Illinois, Xavier, Creighton, and Minnesota. Three things are guaranteed in life, Death, Taxes, and Matt Painter recruiting 7 footers. Jacobsen is a unique prospect, just like Burgess, Jacobsen is a very solid three-point shooter. Jacobsen is a 7’3 center who can hit the three-pointer whenever he wants and is also a very solid mid-range shooter. And don’t forget that he is 7’3 and can easily dunk and is great around the rim. This is another great signing by Purdue. Jacobsen and Burgess will change Purdue forever.

Jack Benter:

Benter is a small recruit out of a small town, Brownstown Central, which is a 2A high school. Benter was in serious contention to win the Mr. Indiana award last season, and this season Benter is looking like a favorite to win it. Benter is a 6’4 guard who can shoot the ball like never seen before. I’ve personally seen Benter play before, and I can confirm all of the accusations that he’s a stud. Confidence is not a problem for Benter, shooting the ball from wherever he feels like. I think Benter can be a very underrated signing for Purdue, hopefully, he can be a great shooter. I’m already seeing similarities to former Purdue sharp-shooters Dakota Mathias and Sasha Stefanovic. Another great signing for Purdue.

CJ Cox:

Matt Painter always finds a new way to amaze me, from new 7-footers every year, to a yearly diamond in the rough, Painter has done it again. CJ Cox’s best D1 offer before Purdue offered him was the University of Massachusetts. I personally would’ve never in my life heard of CJ Cox if Painter hadn’t offer him. Cox is a 6’2 combo guard from the great state of Massachusetts and plays for the Middlesex Magic. Painter was in Las Vegas when he first saw Cox, Painter was amazed at his defensive ability and his leadership. Also his patience and long-range shooting abilities. Cox is another hidden gem for Purdue, and you can expect to see him shining with Purdue in the next few years.

Purdue Basketball is already very good, but the future looks great for them. If Purdue can make it to a final four, or maybe even a National Championship this season, that would change everything for them. Let’s hope for the best this season, and know that if Purdue doesn’t win it all, they are going to be just fine in the future. Boiler Up.