Kevin Savage, the class of 2027‘s No. 36 overall prospect, has committed to the Purdue Boilermakers, he told 247Sports. The 5-foot-11 point guard from Marietta (Ga.) Wheeler chose Purdue over his list of finalists that included UCLA, Georgia Tech, Georgia, Auburn and Florida State.
“Really just the system,” Savage said when asked why he picked the Boilermakers. “I’ve had a good relationship with the coaching staff since my freshman year of high school. When I visited, I liked what I saw — the practices, the player development, and how they use their point guards.”
The departure of star point guard Braden Smith, who left Purdue as among its greatest players ever, created an opening that Savage is eager to fill. Matt Painter‘s track record of developing Smith from a freshman to program legend, combined with Painter’s stability amid the ever-changing college basketball landscape, proved to be major separators in landing Savage’s commitment.
“I like how he developed Braden Smith from his freshman year to his senior year, and coach Painter’s stability,” Savage said. “It feels like he’s staying at Purdue. He’s not tempted to leave. The stability and the trust he puts in his point guards stood out to me.”
Painter has built Purdue into one of the country’s premier programs, establishing a winning culture and consistent success that aligns with Savage’s leadership, competitiveness and winning pedigree.
“I’m a true competitor who wants to win — a floor general, a dog on defense,” Savage said of what he brings to the program. “The goal is to bring a national championship to Mackey Arena.”
