Watch: Jaden Ivey's monster dunk en route to his sublime 25 point performance against Rutgers
Jaden Ivey and the Purdue Boilermakers have been one of the best teams in NCAA men's basketball. With March Madness approaching, Purdue is ranked No. 4 in the nation and leads the Big Ten, while their talented sophomore is finding his groove.
Going up against a tough Rutgers team on Sunday, Ivey finished with 25 points despite struggling from the field.
Purdue (24-4, 13-4) leads a tight Big Ten race, just a half-game ahead of No. 13 Wisconsin and No. 15 Illinois. Ivey has been one of the stars of college basketball, and he's starting to get the attention of NBA scouts as a potential top-five selection in the 2022 draft.
ESPN draft analyst Mike Schmitz praised Ivey, saying his "slow-to-fast burst is special."
Have said this plenty but worth highlighting again after last night's Rutgers game: Jaden Ivey's slow-to-fast burst is special. Shooting just 27% from 3 over his last 10 games but relentlessly attacking the rim. Absurd open court speed, and embracing contact: 18 FTAs yesterday. https://t.co/uX4wIcL17p
Jaden Ivey continues to buzz in NBA circles
Heading into the NCAA basketball season, there was intrigue surrounding Purdue sophomore guard Jaden Ivey. After impressive flashes during the second half of his freshman season, Ivey has blossomed as an explosive scoring option as a sophomore.
In his last eight games, Ivey averaged 19.1 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game while shooting 41.5%.
After being viewed as a potential lottery pick coming into the season, Ivey has possibly moved into the top five for the upcoming NBA draft. It's well deserved as the 6-foot-4 guard has seen his game take notable strides forward this year.
I’m all-in on Jaden Ivey. His explosion is ridiculous. https://t.co/TWR3awHQhg
With the NCAA Tournament coming up, Purdue is among the most dangerous teams in the country.
If the Boilermakers can make a deep tournament run, there's a chance the hype surrounding Ivey as a potential superstar at the NBA level will increase. This season, Ivey is averaging 17.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game. He is shooting 46.5%, including 36.9% from 3-point range.
Ivey made 15 of 18 free throws and played 39 minutes in Sunday's 84-72 win over Rutgers. He went 5-for-11 from the field.
Ivey played for Team USA in the summer, helping the Americans to the gold medal in the FIBA Under-19 World Cup in Latvia. He was named to the all-tournament team.
Ivey's father, Javin Hunter, played wide receiver for the NFL's Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers. He was a sixth-round draft pick in 2002. Ivey's mother, Niele Ivey, coaches the Notre Dame women's basketball team.