Purdue report: What to watch for in July
Revenue sharing, women's basketball non-conference schedule and Big Ten Athletes of the Year on the docket
Welcome to July. We’re halfway through the year.
Tuesday marks the first day of the fiscal year for the Purdue athletic department. And what a year financially it will be with the start of revenue-sharing. Which athlete receives the first payment via PayPal?
What to watch for during the month:
• Let’s start with a significant number: $369 million. That’s how much the 18 Big Ten athletic departments will distribute to athletes during the 2025-26 academic year through revenue share. Add the SEC, and the two mega conferences will shell out nearly $700 million to athletes. It won’t stop future lawsuits.
MORE: Revenue sharting plan for Purdue Athletics | How Name, Image and Likeness fits into new landscape for Purdue | Purdue women’s basketball recruiting: 2027 target Lillie Graves
• According to a Twitter post by Opendorse co-founder Blake Lawrence, the company processed $20 million in payments to athletes on Monday.
“It’s the biggest day in company history,” Lawrence wrote.
The NIL payments from collectives were front-loaded by June 6, the date the House settlement was approved, to avoid going through the NIL Go clearinghouse.
• More Opendorse data:
Read the full Opendorse report
• The women’s basketball program awaits the arrival of freshman Hila Karsh from Israel. The Iran-Israel conflict restricted travel in the region. On Monday, the program wished Karsh a Happy Birthday on social media. The Boilermakers are holding more individual workouts this week, with the Fourth of July on Friday.
• The non-conference schedule should be released this month. What we already know:
Nov. 18 at Kentucky
Nov. 27-29 at Cancun Challenge
Matchups against Purdue Fort Wayne, Miami (Ohio), and Evansville are among the expected games.
• The WNBA is adding three teams to the league - Cleveland (2028), Detroit (2029), and Philadelphia (2030) - bringing the total to 18 teams. Portland and Toronto start play next season. That’s an extra 55-70 players during the next five years. It’s been more than a decade since a former Purdue player has been part of a WNBA roster during the regular season. Overall, 12 Boilermakers have been drafted by the WNBA, but none since Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton in 2009.
FYI, the expansion fee for each of the three new teams: $250 million. In 2023, Golden State paid $50 million expansion fee.
• The Big Ten Athletes of the Year are scheduled to be announced on Tuesday. Purdue point guard Braden Smith is probably the favorite for the men’s award. Zach Edey was the league’s Male Athlete of the Year last season. Raven Covlin is Purdue’s female nominee. USC’s JuJu Watkins is the likely favorite for the women’s honor.
• Sophomore Daniel Jacobsen and incoming freshman Omer Mayer are playing in the FIBA U19 World Cup in Switzerland. Jacobsen is playing for USA Basketball; Mayer represents Israel.
Mayer put on a show in his first game with 24 points, four assists, four steals, and 12 of 19 shooting, including 4 of 6 from 3-point range. On Sunday, Jacobsen totaled six points and four rebounds in the victory over France.
USA plays Cameroon, and Israel takes on Dominican Republic on Tuesday.
• Two new displays featuring the men’s and women’s programs have been added to the Mackey Arena concourse. Both include national championship and Final Four trophies, along with photos from those seasons. Probably a popular spot to take pictures throughout the season.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
• Need an injection of Purdue football juice.
The Boilermakers feature 81 newcomers on their roster. That counts the transfer portal and incoming freshmen.
I was shocked that it's been over a decade since a Purdue player was on a regular-season WNBA roster. That really highlights the depths of the program.