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3 Purdue players that Indiana basketball fans love to hate the most

Hoosier State of Mind · Jul 21, 2026 16:45 · 3 min read

3 Purdue players that Indiana Basketball fans love to hate the most — Feb 20, 2026; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Purdue Boilermakers guard Braden Smith (3) drives against Indiana Hoosiers guard Conor Enright (5) during the second half at Mackey Arena. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Hoosier fans will always remember these players, but not with much affection.

The rivalry between the Indiana Hoosiers and Purdue Boilermakers on the hardwood may not get the national attention it deserves, but there's no denying the in-state rivalry is among the best in all of college sports.

Naturally, once a bitter rivalry takes shape, certain players tend to draw far more hostility from the opposing fan base than others. For fans of Indiana basketball, these three Purdue players aren't remembered with much affection.

Braden Smith (2022-2026)

Braden Smith ended his Purdue career as one of the most hated Boilermakes in the eyes of Hoosier basketball fans. Smith hails from Westfield, and was named Indiana Mr. Basketball at Westfield High School in 2022. He committed to Purdue early in his recruitment process, as the Boilers were his only high-major offer at the time of his commitment. Indiana fans don't like it when Indiana Mr. Basketball honorees choose Purdue over IU, so Smith was disliked in the eyes of Hoosier fans early on.

Smith was one of those players who felt like he was playing against Indiana forever. In today's age of college basketball, seeing players stay for four years at the same school is rare, and when that happens at your rivals' program, it gives more time for the hatred to continue to build.

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Whether it be his style of play, the long sleeves, or his notable on-court flare, Smith found a way to get under the skin of Hoosier fans throughout his Purdue career. Indiana fans aren't sad that he is now out of eligibility.

Matt Haarms (2017-2020)

The argument can be made that Matt Haarms may be the most hated Boilermaker of all. The 7'3" big man was at Purdue from 2017-2020, and become known for his love of complaining and flopping. But his most egregious offense of all may have been constantly playing with his hair on the court.

Haarms was front and center of Purdue's Elite 8 run in 2019. That made things even worse, as Indiana was in the midst of a major rut. No matter how you slice it, Haarms was an extremely irritating player to watch for fans of Indiana hoops.

Zach Edey (2020-2024)

Just when Haarms departed West Lafayette, another Boilermaker big man came around that Hoosier fans loved to hate. Owning a 7'4" 305-pound frame, Zach Edey was a two-time National College Player of the Year in 2023 and 2024, but Indiana fans weren't having it.

Edey became a polarizing figure across the college basketball world. He was big, but he was slow and didn't move all that well. His massive size led to extremely favorable officiating, which made him a free throw merchant. Edey racked up points at the charity stripe all throughout his college career, and those calls often came at the expense of the Hoosiers. That only infuriated Indiana fans even more.

For Indiana fans, Edey became the perfect rival villain. He was Purdue star whose physical style, relative officiating advantages, and postseason success all came during a stretch when the Hoosiers struggled to keep pace with their in-state rival. All in all, there's no denying that Edey was a true villain during his Purdue career.