The prevailing thought around Yanni Karlaftis has long been that he's his own man, that he's not likely to go to Purdue just because his older brother did, or because his family is so closely connected to the university.

That certainly doesn't mean, though, he won't eventually, in fact, go to Purdue.

"I can be my own man anywhere," the West Lafayette High School junior said.

It remains to be seen.

Like George Karlaftis before him, Yanni Karlaftis is a national recruit. In addition to Purdue, Penn State, Ohio State and Wisconsin are among those aggressively pursuing him, he said.

Unlike George Karlaftis, who committed to Purdue almost two years ago to the day, during his junior season at West Side, Yanni Karlaftis isn't fast-tracking his decision. While he's already been recruited at a high level for months, it remains early for him.

"Right now I'm just going with the flow," said Karlaftis, who's visited Purdue and Wisconsin during this season. "I'll probably take a couple more visits. I'm not really too sure where just yet but I'll just go with the flow. I don't think I'll commit soon, but we'll see.

"When the time's right, the time's right."

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