Purdue Assistant PJ Thompson Raves About Freshman Guard CJ Cox: 'He's a Bucket'

If you're looking for a "breakout" candidate for Purdue's basketball team during the 2024-25 season, assistant coach PJ Thompson may have provided an answer. The Boilermakers' "offensive coordinator" raved about freshman guard CJ Cox and his ability to shoot the ball.

Thompson recently joined former Purdue star and current Big Ten Network analyst Rapheal Davis in an episode of the Talkin' Hoops podcast when he made the remarks about Cox's scoring ability. It sounds like the freshman could see a lot of playing time this season.

"I think CJ is going to have to play, too," Thompson said. "CJ's a bucket. I don't know if he's a point (guard), he's a bucket. He scores the ball. He can get to his pull-up, he makes tough ones, he can score. Teaching him other things will help him down the line, but I tell him, 'You're not here to pass. Shoot the ball.'"

Thompson should have a pretty good gauge on Cox's offensive prowess. The former Boilermaker point guard has been the "offensive coordinator" on Matt Painter's staff and is responsible for a lot of the team's success on that end of the floor.

Cox could be a first-year contributor if his success in practice translates to the game.

As a high school recruit, Cox was a three-star prospect out of Massachusetts. He was ranked as a top-300 player in the 2024 class, but he could provide the Boilermakers with a nice spark this coming season.

A lot of the talk regarding Purdue's freshman class has centered around four-star guard Gicarri Harris and 7-foot-4 center Daniel Jacobsen. It sounds like Cox is going to be a player to keep an eye on, as well.