When Matt Painter called P.J. Thompson to offer a graduate assistant position on his staff, Thompson turned it down, eager to keep playing.

When Painter called again, Thompson relented, and is returning to his alma mater, to coach.

After a season playing professionally in Denmark, the former Purdue point guard said he’s accepted that G.A. spot. He'll join Grady Eifert in that role.

“Many guys play for a long time and don’t have that opportunity when they retire from playing,” Thompson said. “I would have such an advantage starting now because coaching is something I can do for the next 40 while years while playing I would only want to play at a high level until I’m 30.”

Thompson said he walked away from continued opportunities to play professionally.

“I think it was a mature decision most 23-year-olds don’t make,” Thompson said. “I still love basketball, I was getting better and still have an itch to play and proved I could be a pro and have many options for next year but I will be happier at home and I look forward to joining an awesome staff and team which will allow me to learn and grow under them.”

Thompson will now work in a coaching role with several Boilermakers he played with, and one he grew up with. His younger brother, Isaiah Thompson, is an incoming freshman.

P.J. Thompson was a Purdue coaching staff favorite as a player because of his maturity and affable personality, his leadership and his basketball understanding, product of his upbringing around the game. For all those reasons, he was essentially offered a role on Purdue's staff the moment his playing career ended, whenever he wanted it.

The time is now.

Graduate assistant positions run two years and entail general assistance for the coaching staff, including scouting, recruiting, player workouts and all else that goes into day-to-day program operations.

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