South Dakota's JT Rock becomes a 2024 priority for Purdue
INDIANAPOLIS — Purdue's seemingly never-ending search for gigantic human beings to play center for the Boilermakers has taken Matt Painter and his staff all over the world, and certainly all over the country.
Now: South Dakota.
Purdue offered 7-foot, 230-pound JT Rock a Class of 2024 scholarship on Thursday, as Rock stopped by West Lafayette on his way to the RecruitLook Hoops Indy Showcase event in Indianapolis for the April evaluation period.
For Rock, Purdue's reputation with players his size preceded it.
"I've known the last few years just from watching college basketball that Purdue always has really good big guys," Rock said, "and uses them well."
This one's a bit different, though.
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Rock showed during his games at Lawrence Central this weekend to be a more-than-capable three-point shooter and ball-handler, with so much confidence in his shot that he sometimes didn't hesitate to shoot tough fallaways or pull-ups off shot fakes.
"(Purdue) said they liked how I can stretch the floor with my shooting and my movement and the way I can handle the ball at my size, especially at my young age, while still maintaining the ability to play on the inside and bang with stronger guys," Rock said.
"Their big emphasis to me was that they're not recruiting me to be like those other guys they've had. They're recruiting me to be my own player."
Whether Purdue can get Rock to sign on to be its next 7-footer remains to be seen, as a number of strong programs around his native Sioux Falls have long been dug in on his recruitment.
Wisconsin, Iowa State, Iowa and Creighton are some of those that have already offered and followed his every move in Indianapolis this weekend, with head coaches from those schools being present.
"I think I want to have my decision made going into my senior year of school ball, but I'm not in any rush to make a decision," Rock said. "I want to think about all my options and figure out where I might be happiest and can have the most successful career."
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