The focus of Matt Painter's press conference centered around the health of All-Big Ten forward Robbie Hummel. Back for a fifth year after tearing his ACL last fall, Hummel is the unquestioned leader of a Boilers team that lost two of the program's all-time leading scorers in JaJuan Johnson and E'Twaun Moore.
Painter said that Hummel looks different to him this season filling out his 6-foot-8-inch, 220 pound frame and expects him to have his best season he has had in a Boilers uniform. With the loss of Johnson and Moore, Painter said Hummel must take more of an assertive role offensively. In the past, Painter said Hummel would always look to make the extra play for Purdue but he must make sure that next play is the best play for Purdue and not just Hummel being unselfish.
From an experience standpoint Painter talked how they bring back senior guards Lewis Jackson and Ryne Smith to go along with seven other letter winners who have started at least a handful of games in their Purdue careers.
