After Missing Last Season With Injury, Purdue's Daniel Jacobsen Eager to Get to Work

Late in Purdue's first summer practice on Monday, a low pass hit Daniel Jacobsen in the hands and rolled slowly to the halfcourt line. There was a fight for the basketball, with both the 7-foot-4 center and senior forward Trey Kaufman-Renn diving on the floor trying to gain possession. For months, Jacobsen waited for one of those moments.

Jacobsen suffered a broken tibia one minute into the second game of the 2024-25 season, sidelining the freshman center for the remainder of the year. It was a hard pill to swallow, but eventually the Chicago native accepted his situation.

So, when he finally got the opportunity to compete again, he made the most of it, even if it meant diving on the floor for a loose ball to avoid a turnover in a scrimmage.

"It was something I had been dying to do for months," Jacobsen said. "It killed me having to watch that stuff. It was great to get out there again."

Jacobsen would have loved to have stayed healthy for his entire freshman season and provided Purdue with the rim protection, shot-blocking, and rebounding threat it missed. Instead of learning through experience, he was forced to consume the game from the sidelines.

Maybe it wasn't Plan A, but he took advantage of the opportunity to learn from afar.

"I definitely picked up a lot, it gave me a different perspective from the bench," Jacobsen said. "Watching Big Ten play, seeing how physical it is, and certain areas where I could have helped out. I'm excited to do those things this year."

Although he may not have spent much time on the court, Jacobsen was able to improve his body while he was away from the game. He bulked up throughout the year, consuming more calories and bulking up in the weight room.

He arrived at Purdue last summer weighing in around 225 pounds. Now the scale is hitting over 250 when he steps on it. His frame is built to withstand the physicality of a college basketball season, especially in the Big Ten.

Learning to play with the added weight can be a challenge, but it's not something the 7-footer is too concerned about after months away from the court.

"I'm more focused on getting back in the flow of things," Jacobsen said. "It's the first practice in a while."

As he prepares for his second year in West Lafayette, Jacobsen finds himself battling for a spot in a more crowded frontcourt than one season ago. Purdue added 6-foot-11 center Oscar Cluff from South Dakota State and 6-foot-7 forward Liam Murphy from North Florida. Senior forward Trey Kaufman-Renn will carry a heavy workload again.

In Matt Painter's system, players have to earn their minutes. Although Jacobsen fills needs that Purdue has on both ends of the floor, he's still going to have to put himself in a position to find himself in the Boilermakers' rotation when the 2025-26 season tips off in five months.

Right now, though, that's not a top priority for Jacobsen. Instead, he's focused on getting back into a rhythm and readjusting to the college game, even if it means diving on the floor for a loose ball.

"Yeah, I always want to compete, but I wouldn't say that's something I'm super focused on right now," Jacobsen said. "I'm just trying to get back into it, play as well as I can, and make sure my body feels good."