With four of its top five scorers having graduated, Purdue waited anxiously for the decision of sophomore point guard Carsen Edwards with regards to the 2018 NBA Draft.
Had Edwards decided to keep his name in the draft, the Boilermakers would have to account for the loss of its top five scorers in preparation for the 2018-19 season. Luckily for Purdue that won’t be the case, as it was announced Tuesday night that Edwards will withdraw from the draft and return to school for his junior year.
Edwards, a first team All-Big Ten and second team All-America selection this past season, averaged a team-best 18.5 points per game while also accounting for 3.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game. Of the four seniors out of eligibility three, center Isaac Haas, forward Vincent Edwards and guard Dakota Mathias, were double-digit scorers with the fourth (guard P.J. Thompson) being a valuable starter who averaged 7.5 points per game.
Edwards’ decision to return to West Lafayette ensures that Purdue will have a proven primary scoring option, which bodes well for returnees such as center Matt Haarms and guards Ryan Cline and Nojel Eastern. Purdue adds three four-star recruits, including guard Eric Hunter Jr., to the program this summer and two redshirt freshmen (guard Sasha Stefanovic and wing Aaron Wheeler) will be available after sitting out last season.
With Wisconsin still awaiting a decision from forward Ethan Happ, Purdue has a player in Carsen Edwards who will be one of the favorites for both Big Ten Player of the Year and another All-America honor.
