Matt Painter once found a Middlesex Magic guard by accident, CJ Cox, and a few months later, the Massachusets native was accepting an offer from Purdue despite a lack of recruiting rankings or major offers.

Halfway through last season, CJ Cox, a true freshman, was starting for Matt Painter's Boilers and helping lead Purdue to the Sweet 16 this season.

Before Cox, Painter didn't have much of an established relationship with the Middlesex Magic AAU program, safe to say after Cox, Painter's discovery of stretch big, Quinn Costello, wasn't an accident.

Costello, a forward from the 2026 class, is a sweet shooting, quick release stretch four that moves well and could use some weight added to his frame.

Purdue's development system, both on the court and in the weight room, has worked wonders on similarly profiled players throughout the years. Currently, Daniel Jacobsen, Purdue's stretchiest five and a freshman last year, put on forty pounds from last season to the start of summer practice this season.

Costello's shooting makes him a perfect fit for a Purdue offense that functions through elite spacing, particularly when pairing a dominant presence inside with a forward that can spread the floor from three.

The offer to Costello suggests that Painter has now targeted Middlesex Magic as an AAU program it can trust, one it already has relationships now built in from CJ Cox's recruitment. Middlesex has been something of a D1 factory, Cox was one of nearly two handfuls of D1 players to come from his AAU team.

Purdue will potentially lose four starters next season with Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer, Trey Kaufman-Renn, and transfer Oscar Cluff all seniors.

Purdue will have plenty of minutes available, particularly on the inside over the next few years. Purdue seems set at center with Daniel Jacobsen and Raleigh Burgess, but Purdue is undersized at the four heading into the future and Purdue has prioritized shooting at the four spot.

Costello appears an elite shooter at the four spot with good height at 6-10. It helps that he comes from a program Painter now knows he can trust.