Purdue Preseason Player Prospectus: Fletcher Loyer

During formal preseason practice in advance of the 2023-2024 college basketball season, GoldandBlack.com is taking an in-depth and analytical look at each of the Boilermakers’ expected rotation players.

In today’s Purdue Preseason Player Prospectus, sophomore Fletcher Loyer.

ABOUT FLETCHER LOYER

Half of Purdue’s excellent freshman backcourt from a season ago, Fletcher Loyer wound up being one of the top freshmen in the Big Ten, more than worthy of a place on the league’s all-freshman team. Don’t forget: As a young, inexperienced and physically disadvantaged (by Big Ten standards at least), Loyer was the second-leading scorer on one of the best teams in college basketball and a distinctly clutch player, from Day 1. Remember, he scored 18 against Duke in the PK85 title game in like his fifth college game. His winning-time three at Ohio State was one of the biggest shots of the season; his assist on Zach Edey’s game-winner at Michigan State was part of one of the plays of the season, a game in which he was amazing down the stretch. His clutch shot against Rutgers shouldn’t be wiped out by the fact the Boilermakers couldn’t close that game out, either.

Loyer was instrumental as a secondary ball-handler, a fine foul shooter and a low-volume-turnover player, all important, some of which belied his age.

He came to Purdue as one of the finest shooters in his class nationally and never once shied away from letting it fly as a freshman. On 181 attempts — extremely high volume — Loyer shot 32.6 percent, a success rate he’d like to improve upon, and should be expected to with a year of experience behind him and presumably healthy legs under him. Matt Painter has often cites reference points on the percentage bumps players have seen between their freshman and sophomore seasons, figuring Loyer could be next.

LOYER’S PROJECTED ROLE

Same as it was before: Loyer should be Purdue’s top backcourt scoring threat, even though point guard Braden Smith has been tasked with looking to score more himself.

Purdue’s going to involve Loyer in a ton of its offensive action, both to get him shots, but also passing opportunities — he ran a good deal of pick-and-roll last season, for example, and was integral in the Boilermakers’ dribble handoff operation around the elbow – but also to create space for everyone else.

That off-ball shooter role is so important moving without the basketball to manipulating defenses, opening space and creating windows and angles for post entries. It’s where players like Dakota Mathias and Sasha Stefanovic have been so good in the past. Loyer was that guy last season and will be again this season.

He will be of critical importance to Purdue offensively.

LOYER’S ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT

So, the biggest ‘next step’ for Loyer has been in improving his body, size and strength. He was never going to transform in that sense, nor did he necessarily need to, but the physical demands of playing against Big Ten defenses can take a toll, something he’ll be readier for this season, presumably.

The defensive end of the floor goes without saying as an area where Purdue will just need him to be steady, to survive against people who may attack him in switches. He will also often be the Boilermakers’ safety in transition defense and often positioned to have to roll to the rim in rotations, so he can be an important team defender, too. He is pretty good cognitively and that will help.

And lastly, but most importantly, the shooting. Loyer is a great shooter, always has been, always will be. He should be expected to bump his percentages up some and every percentage point is a big deal given the value of the shots he’s taking. Now that he’s seen Big Ten defense, he’s acclimated to being open every now and then, and now that Purdue will be running even more offense for/through him, he should make shots at a higher clip. And it should be noted also that the 12 points per game he averaged last season as just a freshman, that’s really, really good.

LOYER’S KEYS TO SUCCESS

• Health. Loyer clearly was banged up late in the season last year. He should be fine now, but again, the Big Ten is not for the faint of heart.

• Play fast: It’s so important for shooters and everyone around them for those players to run hard without the ball. Loyer’s going to be one of Purdue’s chief scorers, but also an essential chess piece.

• Mid-range game: The sophomore is also very capable of really hurting defenses with mid-range jumpers out of action around the elbows, and runners over defenders back-tracking in ball-screen defense to account for the roll man. Loyer’s aggressiveness and decision-making in these areas are what make him a real multi-level scorer.

• Confidence: No issue here whatsoever, nor will there ever be, but Purdue as a whole needs more of it. Loyer can be a leader in that regard.

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