Why Enzo Shahrvin matters for Purdue basketball

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One of the to-do’s is done for Purdue basketball’s attempt to bring French forward Enzo Shahrvin to the team for the upcoming season.

Shahrvin, a 6-7 forward that spent two years playing for Paris Basketball, announced on Instagram that he’d arrived in West Lafayette recently with news breaking this weekend that he has officially been provided a visa. This was a major hurdle to get Shahrvin into the states where he will be able to practice with the team.

But Purdue is still waiting on word from the NCAA on if Shahrvin will be ruled eligible. The NCAA appears to be trying to crackdown on eligibility when it comes to players that have earned an income elsewhere through basketball, but also, figuring out what the NCAA is or isn’t doing is a fool’s errand at best.

Media will be at practice on Tuesday ahead of Purdue’s four-game trip to Canada later this week where Purdue get its first live action against basketball teams in Canada. There will likely be a lot of questions about Shahrvin, but unlikely to be much in the way of updates. He’s on campus. He’ll be able to practice, but he won’t be able to play in those scrimmages or any games for Purdue until the NCAA makes a ruling on his eligibility.

Why it matters:

Purdue is replacing four starters from last year’s Elite Eight team. The roster that remains is talented, unproven, and missing one key piece – a physical forward and secondary rim protector.

That is exactly what Shahrvin is. Shahrvin is a 6-7, long, athletic, and strong forward that has elite chase down blocking ability, natural rim protection, an endless motor, and rebounding coming out of his shoes.

But it’s more about what Shahrvin will unlock in Purdue’s rotation.

Caden Pierce all of a sudden doesn’t become a must throw out for 30+ minutes at the four. Raleigh Burgess doesn’t need to be stretched out as a back up four. Jack Benter doesn’t have to try and play way up in size against every team Purdue plays.

With Shahrvin, Painter will have the luxury of using Pierce, Burgess, and Benter in places that make sense. He’ll be able to use them as advantages against teams when he wants to go super sized or super skilled. Shahrvin means that Purdue will have 25-30 locked in minutes at the four with a guy physical enough to play with anyone.

He’ll add another rim defender next to Daniel Jacobsen and Raleigh Burgess while also potentially working as a five against teams without a true, giant center.

Pierce is such an integral piece for Purdue with all the things he does well, but he’s also a complicated fit at times. He’ll struggle agaisnt certain matchups but because of his skill, sliding him from a matchup at the three or four can make him go from a liability to a problem for other teams.

Similar with Benter, whose play making, shooting, and ability to move the offense and generate for himself and others will be vital for a Purdue offense that will need help this season, but Benter’s size at the four a problem at times last year. Benter did an admirable job playing up against bigger guys, but Purdue had to sacrifice on the boards. Shahrvin allows Benter to play more three while protecting the boards and rim on defense.

Purdue still lacked heft. It has more athleticism, quickness, and perimeter defense, but inside, Purdue has a giant in Jacobsen at 7-4, but Jacobsen is not a bruiser. He’ll be even more dangerous with someone that can handle some of that physicality next to him.

Offensively, Shahrvin might be even more shocking a revelation.

Jacobsen is a lob threat and potential floor spacer, but he lives above the rim.

Shahrvin is an elite rim runner. He also can get up and has crazy long arms to finish at the rim and dunk everything with. But he also is just good in that in between area that where strength and patience is more important than size. Purdue doesn’t really have that guy this season outside what Pierce could offer in the pick and roll but Pierce will probably be more comfortable as a three this season, certainly if Purdue has someone like Shahrvin on the roster.

Shahrvin is a very good play maker in the short roll. He reads the floor well, plays in pace, and offers the kind of instant chemistry and release valve duality that will make Omer Mayer and Purdue’s guards lives easier in the pick and roll.

Don’t be surprised if Shahrvin becomes Mayer’s favorite pick and roll partner. They both come from the same international style of play where timing and fluidity make the spacing work. Mayer needs a big who can hold space, eat up defenders, and then go. Shahrvin can do that better than anyone on Purdue’s roster.

Purdue has some intriguing options at the four in its youth, but Rivers Knight could use the luxury of time as he adjusts to college basketball. Sinan Huan is probably not ready to produce this season.

Purdue has a lot of talent, but it also a team that is asking a lot more from its players than they’ve asked of them in previous roles. Purdue’s players are good enough to fill that capacity, but the more you ask of them to do things against what they’re best at, the tougher the task gets. With Shahrvin, Purdue’s roster almost entirely fits into a place where its best players can shine at what they’re best at instead of trying to fill needs.

Shahrvin is ready now and fits the exact need Purdue has on both sides of the floor. He’s another under the radar home run. Less Omer Mayer from last season, and more Oscar Cluff. He’s the exact player the rotations and roster needs in terms of physicality, rebounding, and blending rim finishing with a steady pick and roll presence and play making. He’s ready to produce from day one and if his eligibility clears, Purdue’s ceiling and more importantly, floor, raises tremendously.