As redshirting becomes more and more a core tenet of Purdue basketball culture, the 23rd-ranked Boilermakers open the 2019-2020 season Wednesday night with two freshmen on the board as possibilities.
Forward Mason Gillis and guard Brandon Newman said they've discussed the possibility of redshirting with Coach Matt Painter. Classmate Isaiah Thompson is the lone freshman among three to say the topic has not come up.
"We've had some discussions, but we haven't made any final decisions yet," Painter said. "We've done it a couple different ways throughout the years. Sometimes we'll make that decision before the first game and sometimes we'll float through the first few games to see where we are."
In the meantime, any player under consideration to redshirt can't appear in games, or else the option is forfeited.
"We're still in that waiting game to see," Painter said, "and talking to people who are close to them to help them make decisions, and talking to me about where I see them from a numbers perspective.
"You can go on and on about how much you like someone as a player, but it's also about weighing this year vs. something that can happen for them four years from now. We'll see."
Gillis said that he and Painter talked about the topic Monday and that "I think we'll come to a decision here in the next few days." Newman said he was "unclear" on his decision. Painter has always left the final say up to the player and their families.
Four players on Purdue's current roster redshirted, though Matt Haarms' early enrollment circumstances a few years ago forced it. Of the others — sophomores Aaron Wheeler and Sasha Stefanovic and redshirt freshman center Emmanuel Dowuona — two project as starters now as third-year sophomores.
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Newman said he hasn't spoken to any of his teammates who've redshirted about the process, but in the case of Wheeler and Stefanovic said, "You can tell now what it did for them by how well they're playing right now."
In Gillis' case, a redshirt would represent more time idled, at least as far as games are concerned. As knee injuries cost him his senior year at New Castle High School, the forward figured it might be a possibility once he got to Purdue.
Now, though, he's healthy enough to play, has been most of the summer and into the fall. He certainly looked healthy as he grabbed six rebounds in 15 minutes Friday night in Purdue's exhibition win over Southern Indiana.
He can play. He just might not.
"I think I'm strong enough mentally to get through that," Gillis said. "Last year I went through it and I have a very strong support system both back home and here. It would be different from last year, because I'd be able to work out."
Newman, again, said it's "unclear" what decision he'll make should Purdue ask him to redshirt, but acknowledged he knew during recruiting it might be a possibility and said, "There would be a lot of positives."
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