5 Things to Know About New Purdue Big Man Oscar Cluff

Purdue found its missing piece through the transfer portal. On Monday night, former South Dakota State center Oscar Cluff announced his commitment to the Boilermakers, giving Matt Painter and his program a big boost early in the offseason.

Cluff is a 6-foot-11 center who averaged a double-double at South Dakota State last season. He joins a team that finished 24-12 this past season, reaching the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Tournament.

Here are a few things to know about Cluff's game and what he'll bring to West Lafayette as Purdue tries to make a Final Four run during the 2025-26 season.

Third season at the Division I level

Cluff began his basketball career in the junior college ranks at Cochise College in Arizona. He transferred to Washington State for the 2023-24 season and spent the 2024-25 campaign at South Dakota State. Purdue will be Cluff's third school in as many years.

After averaging 7.0 points and 4.4 rebounds per game at Washington State, Cluff saw major production increases in those two areas at South Dakota State. He scored 17.6 points and collected 12.3 rebounds per game for the Jackrabbits during a 20-12 season

Shoots 60% from the floor

Cluff is an extremely efficient and effective shooter, knocking down 59.7% of his shots for his career. Last season, that mark exceeded 60%, as he finished the year converting at a 63.4% rate for the year. He was also a 77.8% free throw shooter while at South Dakota State.

That essentially gives Purdue two 60% shooters from the floor. Junior forward Trey Kaufman-Renn also converted 59.5% of his field goal attempts during the 2024-25 season, but that percentage floated above 60% for most of the year.

Good passer for a big man

Following the mold of Purdue big men, Cluff is an extremely willing and skilled passer for a player of his size. He may not be as talented in that area as former Boilermaker Trevion Williams, but he falls into the same category as Zach Edey and Kaufman-Renn.

Cluff dished out an average of 2.8 assists last season. He didn't just feast off of simple kickouts, either. He has the vision to hit open cutters and catch the defense sleeping. It's a really good skill for a low-post player to possess.

Posting up is his strength

Speaking of low-post presence, Cluff's biggest strength is playing a tradition big man role. That is, he catches the ball on the low block and is able to get into his process quickly. It's not the only aspect of his game, but when establishes post position and gets the ball, he's tough to stop.

Cluff has demonstrated the ability to knock down midrange shots and can be effective in the pick-and-roll game. But when he's at his best, Cluff is catching the ball with his back to the basket and making a move to get a high-quality look. He'll resemble plenty of former Purdue bigs in that regard.

High-level rebounder

Perhaps the best thing that Cluff brings to West Lafayette is his ability to rebound the basketball. The 6-foot-11 center averaged 12.3 rebounds per game at South Dakota State, which ranked second nationally. He also pulled down 4.2 offensive rebounds per contest, another mark that ranked second in college basketball.

The Boilermakers struggled on the glass throughout the 2024-25 campaign. Bringing in someone with a knack for grabbing the basketball off the rim on both ends of the court is going to be a significant addition to the roster.

Oscar Cluff highlights from South Dakota State