Omer Mayer officially joined Purdue basketball this week, immediately sparking attention from teammates and fans. After spending the summer competing for Israel in FIBA tournaments, Mayer became the final member of the Boilermakers’ 2025-26 roster, arriving in West Lafayette just before the season’s start. His Instagram post announcing his practice quickly drew support from players, including Braden Smith and CJ Cox, who added encouraging comments.
Purdue Welcomes Omer Mayer; Braden Smith, CJ Cox, and Others Share Reactions
Mayer’s arrival in West Lafayette has been met with enthusiasm from teammates, coaches, and Purdue supporters. The freshman guard, who spent the summer competing for Israel in FIBA tournaments, finalized his place as the last addition to the Boilermakers’ 2025-26 roster and immediately drew attention with his first practice. Mayer’s Instagram post from the gym, captioned, “Summer school,” sparked a wave of comments from teammates.
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Smith responded with, “My guy,” while Cox added, “When he can hoop and cook.” Fletcher Loyer chimed in with, “Nice caption,” and Lance Jones left a pair of flexed-arm emojis.
Teammate Aaron Fine, who recently committed as a preferred walk-on, wrote, “Best chef in D1 basketball.” From outside Purdue, Maccabi Tel Aviv’s Will Rayman posted, “Bro loves America.”
The energy around Mayer’s arrival was not limited to social media. In a video clip shared on Purdue men’s basketball’s X account, Mayer credited the outreach of the program’s guards as key in his decision to commit. He highlighted a personal text from Smith as a turning point.
“I knew Braden, of course, and I knew how good of a player he is,” Mayer said. “Him texting me, by his own, that meant a lot for me. That was the point I realized his personality as well. Then I said alright, that’s the spot for me.”
He’s gonna do whatever it takes to win.
🎤 Go in-depth with Omer Mayer. pic.twitter.com/dqRGeB3u4v
— Purdue Men’s Basketball (@BoilerBall) August 21, 2025
Mayer, who previously suited up for Maccabi Tel Aviv in the EuroLeague, also spoke about connections with Purdue alumni. Former Boilermaker All-American Carsen Edwards, now with FC Bayern Munich after a stint at Fenerbahce S.K. in 2022-23, reached out during the process.
“When he reached out, I was really surprised,” Mayer said. “For me, starting to realize how much Purdue is a family makes you feel comfortable. No ego — everyone is a family.”
Per program rules, Mayer will not be available for media interviews until after Purdue’s first exhibition game, despite his professional background overseas. With preseason momentum fueled by both public and private support from teammates, Mayer begins his first college season under a bright spotlight.
