Early Signing Period: Purdue signs three-star guard CJ Cox

One of two guards in the class of 2024 haul for Purdue has now signed his NLI with the Boilermakers, three-star guard CJ Cox.

Cox was a sleeper until the end of September, when he took an official visit to West Lafayette, but did not have an offer from Matt Painter and company yet. That changed while he was on campus and the Milton Academy product committed to the Boilermakers that same weekend.

The three-star recruit chose Purdue over the likes of Yale, Dartmouth, Penn, UMass and Brown, among others, as the Boilermakers were his only Power 5 offer.

Cox stars for Milton Academy and plays for the Middlesex Magic on the AAU circuit. Running in the Under Armour circuit this past summer, Cox averaged 12 points, six rebounds and three assists while shooting nearly 40% from three-point range. His AAU performance this summer is what brought Purdue into the picture, where Matt Painter took a chance on the sleeper prospect.

The 2024 commit has the ability to score at all three levels, shooting a high clip from beyond the arc and being able to get to the basket with regularity. Cox is crafty with the ball in his hands and has shown to be an effective facilitator. The 6'2" guard can also guard multiple positions on the defensive end.

Cox will likely slide into a point guard role for the Boilermakers when he gets to campus next summer, pairing with fellow 2024 commit Jack Benter as freshmen in the backcourt. While Purdue will have Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer holding down the fort, Cox and Benter could see minutes off the bench as Matt Painter builds depth in the backcourt.