Purdue basketball team extends offer to 4-star center in class of 2026

Matt Painter and the Purdue basketball team are already looking ahead to the 2026 recruiting class. On Tuesday, four-star center Ethan Taylor announced he had received an offer from the Boilermakers.

Taylor is listed as a 6-foot-10, 230-pound center in the 2026 recruiting class. The talented prospect from Shawnee, Kansas, ranks as the No. 58 player in the cycle.

“After a great conversation with the coaching staff, I am very excited to receive an offer from (Purdue),” Taylor wrote on X.

Purdue becomes the fifth university to extend an offer to Taylor. He also received offers from Missouri, Missouri State, Missouri-Kansas City and Tennessee.

According to KCHShoops.com, Taylor averaged 10.4 points, 8.9 rebounds and 3.6 blocks per game during the 2023-24 season at Shawnee Mission Northwest High School. He also recorded seven double-doubles and had 12 games with at least four blocked shots.

Recruiting talented big men is obviously nothing new for Painter and the Boilermakers. Purdue has become known for putting talented centers on the field, including JaJuan Johnson, AJ Hammons, Isaac Haas, Matt Haarms and Zach Edey.

On the 2024-25 roster, Purdue has a pair of 7-footers: sophomore Will Berg and freshman Daniel Jacobsen.

Purdue has offered six players for the 2026 recruiting class, four of whom are guards. Taylor is currently the only center with an offer from the Boilers.

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