Purdue basketball's 6-foot-10 senior Caleb Furst has always been a man with a heart for good causes. Two years ago, when approached about role playing Buddy from the holiday movie "Elf", he was on board without hesitation. The annual Purdue basketball food drive, which was highly successful thanks to Furst's "Elf" skits and poster giveaways, led to Sunday's game where fans receive a poster for every five canned goods donated at Mackey Arena before the noon game against Maryland. This is Furst's third year reprising the role as Buddy. While his on-court antics in the "Elf" skits may resemble his charismatic side, his coaches and teammates know that he needs to bring that same energy to the basketball court.

Coach's Perspective on Furst's Game

Purdue coach Matt Painter had high praise for Furst after his performance in the (Nov. 28) N.C. State game. "He made some really plays in that game. I thought he made some key rebounds, some hustle plays," Painter said. "However, he didn't finish in the next game against Ole Miss, and that's an area he needs to improve. He's got to be able to finish around the rim." Furst's skills and potential were evident from the start. He was ranked by 247Sports as the No. 67 overall recruit in the 2021 class and second in Indiana, behind only Purdue teammate Trey Kaufman-Renn. He edged Kaufman-Renn for Indiana's Mr. Basketball award and arrived at Purdue with a lot of promise.

Furst's Early Years at Purdue

During his freshman and sophomore seasons, Furst started a combined 33 games as a reliable and versatile two-way player. He showed his ability to contribute on both ends of the court. But last season, things took a turn. Zach Edey's emergence meant there were not many minutes available at center. Purdue's staff also decided to start Kaufman-Renn at the four last season to provide more offensive punch. As a result, Furst averaged only nine minutes per game, and those minutes were often in short bursts when Edey was on the court.

Furst's Current Role and Value

Now, due to an unfortunate circumstance where freshman center Daniel Jacobsen fractured his tibia one minute into the season's second game, Furst's experience as a former starter has become extremely valuable. "He's done a terrific job whenever he's been in the game … " Kaufman-Renn said. "There's defensive and offensive flexibility having somebody that can do those things give us a different look. The minutes he's played have been big time." Furst is one of Purdue's best hedge defenders and, despite some struggles finishing at the rim, he is drawing fouls. His current 73.9% clip from the free throw line is a career best, as is the 2.6 free throws per game he's averaging. Purdue point guard Braden Smith also recognized Furst's importance. "He understands his role and what it takes to win in this league," Smith said. "He's been doing it for four years. It's a nice thing to have for these younger guys to see. He's been through it and he understands it."