Freshman Aaron Wheeler Is Important To Purdue's Future, Not The Present
Purdue freshman Aaron Wheeler might not be a blue-chip prospect in many evaluators' eyes right now, but there is no denying his talent and potential ceiling each time he steps on the floor. The 6-foot-9 forward is as athletic as any player to enter the Boilermakers program in recent years, and his best basketball is yet to come.
A Brewster Academy (NH) product with a 7-foot wingspan, Wheeler is undoubtedly going to be an important part of No. 21 Purdue’s future, but that doesn’t mean he will start logging major minutes during the 2017-18 campaign.
With several players returning from the Boilermakers’ Sweet 16 run, especially Vincent Edwards, the opportunities will be limited. Wheeler averaged 3.8 points and 2.2 rebounds per game during the World University Games this summer, and only played eight minutes in Purdue’s first exhibition game last weekend.
As head coach Matt Painter’s squad plays in its final preseason exhibition against Carroll College on Wednesday night, which is streaming live on FloHoops at 7 ET, tracking Wheeler's time on the court and production will be intriguing.
How much will Wheeler play? Will Painter redshirt him and will this be the last time the Purdue faithful see him this season? Or, is it the start of grooming him for the future?
Only time will tell, but Wheeler is needed down the road more than right now.