The arrival of freshman Omer Mayer in West Lafayette is already creating a fascinating dynamic for Purdue basketball.
New practice clips show the Israeli guard running point guard duties, which has pushed All-American Braden Smith to work off-ball in certain drills. This shift reveals that head coach Matt Painter is experimenting with different lineups to maximize the talent in his backcourt for the upcoming season.
How Is Omer Mayer Already Changing Purdue’s Backcourt Strategy?
Recent practice footage, analyzed by Sleepers Media on YouTube, offered a glimpse into how Mayer’s presence is reshaping the team’s on-court dynamics. In the clips, which were pulled from Purdue’s Instagram posts, analysts noted a significant change in how the Boilermakers are running their offense in drills.
“Most of the drill work that we finished with, with the bigs shooting threes, it was Omer Mayer running point in those drills,” one analyst observed. Mayer’s arrival gives Painter new options he did not have before, forcing adjustments to fit two elite playmakers on the floor together.
These new possibilities exist because of what Mayer brings to the table. The 6’4″ Israeli guard comes with professional experience that cannot be ignored. He averaged 17.9 points and 4.8 assists across 11 FIBA games this summer, giving Purdue a four-inch height advantage over Smith. This impressive addition requires Painter to rethink traditional roles.
However, the analyst also clarified that this experimentation does not diminish Smith’s status as one of the nation’s top players. “I’m never saying it from the standpoint of he’s not going to be the best point guard in the country. I’m always saying from the standpoint of I still think he’s a national player of the year favorite.”
The numbers certainly back that up. Smith enters his senior season as the Big Ten’s reigning assist king, having set a conference record with 292 assists last year. His 8.7 assists per game ranked second nationally and earned him consensus preseason All-American honors.
With Smith’s established abilities, Painter has the flexibility to explore different looks. The analyst explained the coach’s logic: “He knows Braden can have the ball in his hands and run pick and roll. So why not during a scrimmage, let’s take it out of his hands. Let’s figure out what everybody else can do.”
This established production is precisely why Painter can afford to implement these changes. While Mayer’s inclusion creates new strategic demands, Smith’s years of experience and high basketball IQ make these adjustments much easier to handle.
With the 2026 NBA Draft on the horizon after this season, showing versatility by playing different roles could significantly boost Smith’s pro prospects while giving Purdue more offensive weapons. The work with both guards seems to be paying dividends in practice sessions. Analysts noted how smoothly both players are adapting to the different scenarios.
“They are attacking practice as if it’s a game, and they’re going to be ready to go in November. It’s not going to take them to January to be ready to go.”
This early preparation highlights the new reality that Mayer’s addition has created. Instead of simply having a backup point guard, Purdue now has two stars who both command the ball, creating exciting new opportunities for how Painter can deploy them together on the court.