Purdue Basketball's Options at Point Guard Dwindling Ahead of 2022-23 Season

But the Lawrence Central High School graduate was won over by a deal with Life Wallet worth $800,000 across two years as part of a name, image and likeness agreement, and chose to play for Miami. Pack was also awarded a car as part of the package. 

While it's not unheard of for athletes to be compensated with NIL deals, it was unprecedented to see Pack's deal be announced at the time of his signing. In the brief history of NIL agreements, no athlete has been suspended as a result of violations. 

Pack's hefty price came after the sought-after transfer garnered recognition as one of the best shooters in the portal. He was a first-team All-Big 12 honoree after leading the 14-17 Wildcats with 17.4 points per game while also recording 3.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists per contest. 

Now, Pack will run the offense as the point guard for the Hurricanes, a group that was good enough to reach the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament. Meanwhile, Purdue basketball must continue to weigh its options during the offseason. 

Before the start of the 2021-22 season, Hunter was one of three seniors that informed head coach Matt Painter that it would be their final year with the program. It was a decision that allowed Purdue to recruit for the future and pursue the likes of Pack in the transfer portal. 

However, circumstances are always subject to change. Hunter, who declared for the 2022 NBA Draft while maintaining his final year of eligibility in the NCAA, entered the transfer portal to keep his own options open for next season. 

That announcement came after the Boilermakers inquired about bringing in Pack. But Thompson's departure gives Hunter a wide-open door for a potential return to college basketball. 

As it stands, Purdue will roster true freshman point guard Braden Smith — a three-star recruit from Westfield High School — and former high school point guard Ethan Morton. Hunter is looking like the team's best option as an experienced and reliable ball handler 

The 6-foot-4, 175-pound Indianapolis native registered 6.2 points, 2.1 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game last season while appearing in 37 games for Purdue. He made 19 starts, taking over as the primary point guard toward the end of the season. 

But should Hunter exhaust his final year of eligibility, there's no guarantee it will be with the Boilermakers. The demand for a Big Ten talent with four years of experience will be high, and Hunter may look to fill a role that will allow him to showcase his ability to score the basketball at a high level. 

Another Purdue target, Princeton transfer Jaelin Llewellyn, committed to Clemson but has recently reopened his recruitment. He was originally contacted by as many as 20 college programs after hitting the portal, including the Boilermakers. 

Llewellyn averaged more than 15 points per game with Princeton in each of the last two seasons. He shot 44.7% from the field during the 2021-22 season, including a 38.6% mark from the 3-point line. 

Iowa State point guard Tyrese Hunter, the reigning Big 12 Freshman of the Year, is also on the market and will be a potential option for Purdue. However, if the Boilermakers bring in a transfer, it will likely mean Hunter will not return. 

The worst-case scenario for the team is for its top choices in the transfer portal to diminish and for Hunter to decide to take his talents to another program. Painter and the Purdue basketball program may end up clambering for a fill-in before the upcoming 2022-23 season.