The Purdue Boilermarkers are set to welcome six freshmen into the 2024-2025 season while also fielding one of the most veteran groups in the era of NIL and unrestricted transfers. Headlining the 2024-2025 class is 6-foot-8 wing Kanon Catchings, who transferred to Overtime Elite from Brownsburg High School and made quite a splash last season heading to West Lafayette.
Catchings, once a top-20 ranked and five-star recruit (it's unclear why he dropped in the rankings), may be one of the most intriguing players in his class. A tall, lanky wing who handles the ball like a guard, shoots well from behind the arc, attacks the rim and plays with intensity that's enough to draw attention. Catchings is the son of a former Miss Illinois and nephew of Tamika Catchings, and it's fair to say Catchings has only just scratched the surface when it comes to his potential talent-wise.
Purdue's roster this season features three players who started every game last season: Braden Smith, Fletcher Royer and Trey Kaufman-Lenne. The question is who will fill the other small forward and power forward roles. Cam Hyde can play both positions, and Myles Colvin is just as intriguing as Catchings with his length, athleticism and shooting ability. The question is, can Catchings knock any of those players out of the starting lineup?
Purdue will be tough, as it returns three players who started every game in Braden Smith, Fletcher Royer and Trey Kaufman-Lenn. But Catchings didn't come to a place like Purdue to sit behind others on the bench in what many believe will be a one-and-done career. His ability to break into the starting lineup on the wing will create some confusion that coach Matt Painter will have to sort out with Myles Colvin and Cam Hyde in the wings. Coach Painter did a great job managing minutes last season, showing that he's not obligated to start someone simply because they started before (see Ethan Morton and Mason Gillis last season).
The biggest question mark coming into his first season, like most freshmen, is defense. If you watched his season with Overtime Elite, you know he wasn't always defensively minded, but when the game gets intense, the intensity increases. It's likely Catchings will do something similar when the competition heats up. His length and wingspan could be a problem for other wings, and he should also have the athleticism to be able to switch out at the 1-4 position. Catchings seems to “care” about defense, and that alone should get him on the court early and often next season.
Catchings' current strengths lie in his aggressive play and willingness to attack and put defenders in bad positions. He is not afraid of contact and uses his explosive athleticism to get into the paint and finish at the rim. He has a smooth jump shot from outside the arc, which, combined with his length, allows him to play higher than most defenders. He has NBA-level offensive skills going into his freshman year at Purdue, which is why he is a potential first-round pick early on the 2025 draft board.
So what can we expect from Catchings next season? He will be a starter from day one in what will be a more fluid lineup than ever at Purdue. Eddie has moved on and there are players with vastly different skill sets waiting in the wings after him. In a scenario where Catchings starts and plays 25+ minutes per game, he could easily average 11 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 block per game. That's Robbie Hamel-like stats and it's natural to compare the two (though Catchings is far more athletic than Robbie). But I wouldn't be surprised to see games where Catchings takes control and scores 25+ points. His talent and potential are undeniable and players at this level are usually found at places like Kansas, North Carolina, Duke and Kentucky.
Also of note, just as Lance Jones brought some much-needed attitude to the team, Catchings might bring a similar level of intensity and attitude — a player who wants the ball when it matters and isn't afraid to let opposing teams and their fans know when it's his turn.
