WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – L Dick Buell men's basketball head coach Matt Painter has announced that Grady Eifert and P.J. Thompson have both joined the Purdue coaching staff as graduate assistants for the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons.
Both Purdue grads, Eifert graduated in May 2019, while Thompson earned his degree in May 2018.
"We are excited that Grady and P.J., have decided to join our staff," Painter said. "While at Purdue, they did everything they could to help the team succeed and that will carry over as they start their careers in coaching. They played with the characteristics we look for in players and hopefully this will begin a long stint in this profession."
Their roles will include opponent scouting, film breakdown, helping with individual workouts and administrative duties as they break into the collegiate coaching ranks.
The duo was part of one of the most-dominant stretches in Purdue basketball history as the pair both made four NCAA Tournaments, won over 100 career games and were part of Big Ten Championship teams.
Thompson spent the last year playing professionally in the Netherlands after being a three-year starter from 2016 to 2018. He currently ranks second in career assist / turnover ratio (2.94), is 10th in career 3-point percentage (.404) and 15th in career 3-pointers made (161). He appeared in 137 games, the eighth most in school history and helped Purdue to a 104-37 record and the 2017 Big Ten Championship during his time with the Boilermakers.
Eifert wrapped up his career as one of the most-beloved Boilermakers in school history after arriving at Purdue as a walk-on, then starting all 36 games as a senior for a Purdue squad that made the Elite Eight. He averaged just 5.5 points and 5.2 rebounds per game as a senior, but was named the recipient of the team's Tom Reiter Award, Courage Award and Mr. Hustle Award at the team's season-ending banquet. Eifert shot over 50.0 percent from the field, a team-best 43.8 percent from 3-point range and boasted an assist / turnover ratio of 3.11 (59 / 19) while leading the country in offensive rating.
Purdue will return two starters and eight letterwinners from the 2018-19 squad that reached the Elite Eight and won the Big Ten regular-season championship for the second time in three seasons.
Both Purdue grads, Eifert graduated in May 2019, while Thompson earned his degree in May 2018.
"We are excited that Grady and P.J., have decided to join our staff," Painter said. "While at Purdue, they did everything they could to help the team succeed and that will carry over as they start their careers in coaching. They played with the characteristics we look for in players and hopefully this will begin a long stint in this profession."
Their roles will include opponent scouting, film breakdown, helping with individual workouts and administrative duties as they break into the collegiate coaching ranks.
The duo was part of one of the most-dominant stretches in Purdue basketball history as the pair both made four NCAA Tournaments, won over 100 career games and were part of Big Ten Championship teams.
Thompson spent the last year playing professionally in the Netherlands after being a three-year starter from 2016 to 2018. He currently ranks second in career assist / turnover ratio (2.94), is 10th in career 3-point percentage (.404) and 15th in career 3-pointers made (161). He appeared in 137 games, the eighth most in school history and helped Purdue to a 104-37 record and the 2017 Big Ten Championship during his time with the Boilermakers.
Eifert wrapped up his career as one of the most-beloved Boilermakers in school history after arriving at Purdue as a walk-on, then starting all 36 games as a senior for a Purdue squad that made the Elite Eight. He averaged just 5.5 points and 5.2 rebounds per game as a senior, but was named the recipient of the team's Tom Reiter Award, Courage Award and Mr. Hustle Award at the team's season-ending banquet. Eifert shot over 50.0 percent from the field, a team-best 43.8 percent from 3-point range and boasted an assist / turnover ratio of 3.11 (59 / 19) while leading the country in offensive rating.
Purdue will return two starters and eight letterwinners from the 2018-19 squad that reached the Elite Eight and won the Big Ten regular-season championship for the second time in three seasons.