For five seasons, Mason Gillis exemplified what it meant to play Purdue basketball. He was a hard-nosed player who brought toughness to the court every single night. Gillis’ willingness to do the little things helped the Boilermakers win two Big Ten championships, a Big Ten Tournament title and earn a trip to the National Championship Game during his tme in West Lafayette.
After the 2023-24 season finally concluded, Gillis had one year of eligibility left to use. He decided to enter the transfer portal and eventually committed to Duke for his final year of college basketball.
In quick interview with NCAA.com’s Andy Katz, Gillis was asked how much joining a Final Four-caliber squad factored into his decision to join the Blue Devils.
“It was definitely a factor. I wanted to in a position that, No. 1, we were going to compete every single day to be the best players, and then that just results in (getting to) the national championship,” Gillis said. “So, that’s our goal, and that was definitely on my mind.”
Last season, Gillis was named the Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year. He averaged 6.5 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game on a team that finished with a 34-5 record and reached the Final Four — the program’s first trip in 44 years.
A big reason for Purdue’s success was credited to Zach Edey, a two-time National Player of the Year. After playing alongside the 7-foot-4 center for four years, Gillis will now share the floor with Cooper Flagg, the projected No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Gillis is thankful for the opportunity to be teammates with some elite players.
“It’s a blessing, honestly. They make the game easier for everybody else,” Gillis said. “When you have Zach — everyone watched it last year — he’s impossible to guard and he’s a willing passer, so it’s fun to be a shooter with him.
“Cooper can do everything on the court. So, they’re going to be throwing double-teams at him, our guards are going to be great at helping him get the ball, but he’s a willing passer, too. We’re going to have fun beating teams by a lot this year.”
Duke will begin the 2024-25 college basketball season against Maine on Monday, Nov. 4.
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