WEST LAFAYETTE — A mere 21 seconds into Purdue men’s basketball’s exhibition opener, Daniel Jacobsen’s presence triggered a whistle.
Ball State’s lone true big man, 6-foot-11 Saint Joseph’s transfer Jaden Smith, locked up his 7-4 counterpart in a hold worthy of a foul. A second foul on the Boilermaker center, the one sending Smith to the bench, came less than three minutes in.
Everyone around Jacobsen encourages a more assertive, confident version to break free in his third season. Those attributes were not always apparent last season – his first full one after a broken leg bone in his second game ended his freshman season. His minutes dwindled in several games down the stretch.
Yet if you characterized that season as a frustrating one for him, and especially if you saw a setback, Jacobsen vehemently disagrees.
“I think it was a positive, and it’s just going to allow me to have an even better year this year – the opportunity that’s right in front of me,” Jacobsen said. “I think I’m ready to take advantage of it. I’m confident I’m going to be able to do that.”
Jacobsen suffered from some unfair comparisons to the player he appeared to be in his truncated debut two years ago. Last season, the comparisons came against the confidence and poise of Oscar Cluff and Trey Kaufman-Renn – two late-career veterans with thousands of minutes behind them.
Besides the experience gap, Jacobsen is not a low-post player in the mold of either of them. He has always projected more in the mold of Matt Haarms or other more mobile bigs – a credible, if not prolific, threat from 3-point range, as well as a lob weapon inside.
Jacobsen splashed a 3 against the Cardinals. Well, he clanged one. His shot from the top of the key hit the front of the rim, bounced high off the backboard, then back through the hoop. The home crowd appreciated the big man 3 nonetheless.
He put in a lot of offseason work on those more conventional big-man necessities. Capitalizing on the offensive boards with authority. Layups in transition. As the starting center on an offense loaded with 3-point threats, the ball should find his hands frequently.
Cluff’s effective field goal percentage of 68.3% ranked sixth nationally last season. He committed only 31 turnovers in 39 games. A year earlier, Kaufman-Renn also posted an eFG a smidge under 60%, with on more turnover than assist. Edey’s numbers were, as you might expect, off the charts.
So three turnovers in 17 minutes in the exhibition opener jumped off the stat sheet for coach Matt Painter. One came on an offensive foul away from the ball which was upgraded to a Flagrant 1.
Jacobsen also dished out four assists. He totaled 13 all of last season, and went without one in 27 of 39 games. Painter sees room for growth there, too – greater awareness of how teams will attack him and how he can counter-attack to find open teammates.
“That’s probably the last piece, right?” Painter said. “You can’t want the basketball more and have three turnovers. But we have to do a better job of just working with him and understanding in certain sets or certain situations where people are.”
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Daniel Jacobsen's rim protection can elevate Purdue's defense, if he avoids fouls
When Purdue lost Jacobsen for the 2025-26 season, it lost any semblance of rim protection. Its 5.1% block percentage ranked seventh-worst in all of Division I. Last season, even with him playing only 13 minutes per game, it rose to 8.8%.
He blocked six Ball State shots Sunday and altered several others. Painter was both impressed and concerned with that number. The guards are pressuring earlier and more frequently this season, and too many ballhandlers slipped past them and headed downhill toward the lane.
Jacobsen fouled at a higher rate than any other Boilermaker last season, committing more per 40 minutes (5.8) than he drew (4.7). As much as Purdue likes its center depth with Raleigh Burgess and Enzo Shahrvin, it wants that ratio to flip.
It also needs the best version of Jacobsen as a rebounder. Cluff and Kaufman-Renn combined for nearly 16 per game last season. It's another area where physical and mental development will both play a factor.
"Improving my body is going to help out with that, just making it easier to box out and go chase the ball," Jacobsen said. "And then it’s definitely a lot of technique and mindset as well, just going to chase it."
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Everything which drew Jacobsen to Purdue the first time remains in place. A system which prioritizes big men and prides itself on their development. Veteran guard play and prolific perimeter shooters to open up chances inside. An acute need for his defensive presence around the basket.
In today’s climate, players need not experience hardship or frustration before considering their options on the open market. The system is simply too lucrative – especially for those who can pair skill with ultimate height in a spot desperate for that combination.
Jacobsen said offseason conversations with his parents, coaches and others he trusted brought him to what he called an “easy” decision. The mutual trust between what he can be and how Purdue can take him there has not changed.
“They know that I was going to − and I did − put in all the work in the summer and the spring,” Jacobsen said. "And I know they believe in me and they’re going to give me the opportunity I have this year.”
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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Purdue basketball's 7-foot-4 shot-swatting center is stronger and ready for larger role
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