On Wednesday, Carmel’s Brian Waddell committed to Purdue University. The Boilermakers offered Waddell shortly after he won a state title with the Greyhounds.

 

Throughout his senior season, Waddell’s recruiting profile grew. Programs like Wright State, Indiana State, and Miami of Ohio offered him. His game continued to shine, and Purdue took notice. Even after the Purdue offer, Waddell visited Furman to check out the campus by himself.

 

In the end, Waddell was not turning down an offer from Purdue. His father, Matt, played at Purdue from 1991-1995. Matt’s time at Purdue overlapped with Matt Painter’s for two seasons.

 

By helping Carmel win a state title, Waddell earned a spot on the 2021 Indiana All-Star team. Carmel only averaged 55.4 points per game, but Waddell scored 15.8 for the season. He played his best at the end of the regular season and into the postseason. In his final high school game, Waddell tallied 20 points and 12 rebounds against Lawrence North.

 

Over the last few years, Purdue has maximized players like Waddell. Carmel alumnus Ryan Cline was built like Waddell and needed to prove himself defensively too. Cline was an absolutely elite shooter in high school. Waddell is not to that shooting level. Waddell’s ability to move without the ball and attack closeouts will be showcased in the Purdue system.