Commitment breakdown: Jameel Brown chooses Purdue

Jameel Brown’s recruitment came to a close on Monday evening, when the four-star combo guard announced his commitment to Purdue. The No. 105 prospect in the class of 2022, Brown chose the Boilermakers over a host of major offers including one from in-state Temple. Below, Rivals.com takes a look at what Matt Painter’s program is getting and what it means for the bigger picture.

WHAT PURDUE IS GETTING

Brown missed his sophomore season with a broken wrist but is now healthy again and back on the developmental track. As a freshman, The Pennsylvania-based star helped lead his team to an undefeated season and showed a knack for shooting from distance. His upside was obvious his freshman year, but the lack of a real summer circuit combined with the fact that he saw next to no action as a sophomore makes the 6-foot-3 combo guard a bit of an enigma for the time being. That said, he averaged 11.6 points per game as a freshman and flashed the kind of high-level athleticism that gets coaches excited. Brown possesses the ability to get the basket in spurts and will likely become more consistent as he becomes more seasoned. How he develops as a slasher and a passer in the year ahead will be something on which to keep an eye. A multi-sport athlete, Brown has also competed in football, cross country and tennis.

WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE BOILERMAKERS

Purdue reached nearly halfway across the country to land Brown over fellow finalists Temple, Penn, Xavier and Marquette. That says plenty about how comfortable Matt Painter and staff are with how the junior has looked post-injury. It remains a bit of a high-risk, high-reward situation, however, as it’s certainly conceivable that locking up Brown this early without much game action to evaluate could afford the Boilermakers an absolute steal. The augment can be made that Brown, who was invited and participated in a host of USA Basketball junior national team camps, would have a much more robust offer list if not for the season he missed and could see his stock rise exponentially as he showcases his game in the year ahead. Painter and company have metaphorically purchased a discounted stock with a blue-chip upside.