June 21, 2016
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Former Purdue star A.J. Hammons is set to begin his professional career Thursday night, when he is expected to be selected in the NBA Draft. The draft will be televised on ESPN, beginning at 8 p.m. ET from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Pre-Draft Notes
- Should Hammons be selected, he will become Purdue's first selection since Robbie Hummel was drafted No. 58 in the 2012 Draft.
- Hammons would become the fifth player drafted during the Matt Painter era, joining Carl Landry (2007; 31), JaJuan Johnson 2011; 27), E'Twaun Moore (2011; 55) and Hummel (2012; 58).
- Should Hammons be selected in the first round, he would become the eighth Purdue player ever to be taken in the first round, joining Dave Schellhase (1966), Herm Gilliam (1969), Joe Barry Carroll (1980), Keith Edmonson (1982), Russell Cross (1983), Glenn Robinson (1994) and Johnson (2011).
- Hammons will likely become the 47th NBA Draft pick in school history.
- Entering the 2016 NBA Draft, Purdue is 1-of-18 schools to have multiple No. 1 NBA Draft picks (since first draft in 1947) and since 1980, Purdue is the only Big Ten team and 1-of-7 schools nationally with multiple No. 1 NBA Draft picks (Purdue, Kentucky, North Carolina, Georgetown, Kansas, UNLV, Duke).
A.J. Hammons Career Accolades
- Four-time Big Ten Player of the Week
- Big Ten All-Freshman Team (2013)
- Big Ten Honorable Mention (2014)
- Big Ten All-Defensive Team (2014)
- Second-Team All-Big Ten (2015)
- Big Ten All-Defensive Team (2015)
- First-Team USBWA All-District (2015)
- First-Team NABC All-District (2015)
- Preseason All-Big Ten (2016)
- Abdul-Jabbar Watch List (2016)
- First-team All-Big Ten (2016)
- Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year (2016)
- First-team USBWA All-District (2016)
- Finalist for Abdul-Jabbar Award (2016)
- First-team NABC All-District (2016)
- AP Honorable Mention All-America (2016)
A.J. Hammons Senior Highlights
- Hammons had an outstanding senior season, being named honorable mention All-American, first-team All-Big Ten and the league's Defensive Player of the Year after averaging 15.0 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game while shooting 59.2 percent from the field.
- Was 1-of-4 players nationally to rank in the nation's top 25 in both blocked shots (14th) and field goal percentage (21st).
- Finished his career as 1-of-2 players in Big Ten history with 1,500 career points, 900 career rebounds and 340 career blocked shots (Purdue's Joe Barry Carroll).
- Finished career ranked 17th on the school's career scoring list (1,593 points), third in rebounds (930) and second in blocked shots (343).
- Scored in double-figures in each of his last 16 games and in 24 of his last 25 games (Rutgers).
- Finished the season ranked 15th in Purdue history in rebounds (270) and fifth in blocked shots (84). Narrowly missed leading the Big Ten in blocked shots for the fourth straight year (Jarrod Uthoff - 86; A.J. Hammons - 84).
- Became the first player since Georgetown's Michael Sweetney in 2002 to have at least 32 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 blocked shots in a game when he reached those marks against Nebraska in just 29 minutes.
- Became the first player since at least 2011 to have at least 16 points, 15 rebounds, 6 blocks and 3 assists in an NCAA Tournament game, when he reached those marks against Little Rock.
- Had a monster performance against No. 8-ranked Michigan State with 19 points, 13 rebounds and 8 blocked shots.
- In games that at least 18 NBA scouts were present, Hammons averaged 19.3 points, 10.0 rebounds and 4.3 blocks per game.
- Dominated likely first-round pick Damian Jones of Vanderbilt to the tune of 21 points, 10 rebounds and 7 blocked shots. Held Jones to six points in 15 foul-plagued minutes.
- Named to the All-Big Ten Tournament team after averaging 16.0 points, 9.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game, leading the Boilermakers to the finals.
.@BoilerBall's A.J. Hammons' #NBA dreams are almost a reality. #NBADraft is in two days. #BoilerUp #Purdue https://t.co/dkNsVgdOU1
-- Purdue Athletics (@PurdueSports) June 21, 2016
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Former Purdue star A.J. Hammons is set to begin his professional career Thursday night, when he is expected to be selected in the NBA Draft. The draft will be televised on ESPN, beginning at 8 p.m. ET from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Pre-Draft Notes
- Should Hammons be selected, he will become Purdue's first selection since Robbie Hummel was drafted No. 58 in the 2012 Draft.
- Hammons would become the fifth player drafted during the Matt Painter era, joining Carl Landry (2007; 31), JaJuan Johnson 2011; 27), E'Twaun Moore (2011; 55) and Hummel (2012; 58).
- Should Hammons be selected in the first round, he would become the eighth Purdue player ever to be taken in the first round, joining Dave Schellhase (1966), Herm Gilliam (1969), Joe Barry Carroll (1980), Keith Edmonson (1982), Russell Cross (1983), Glenn Robinson (1994) and Johnson (2011).
- Hammons will likely become the 47th NBA Draft pick in school history.
- Entering the 2016 NBA Draft, Purdue is 1-of-18 schools to have multiple No. 1 NBA Draft picks (since first draft in 1947) and since 1980, Purdue is the only Big Ten team and 1-of-7 schools nationally with multiple No. 1 NBA Draft picks (Purdue, Kentucky, North Carolina, Georgetown, Kansas, UNLV, Duke).
A.J. Hammons Career Accolades
- Four-time Big Ten Player of the Week
- Big Ten All-Freshman Team (2013)
- Big Ten Honorable Mention (2014)
- Big Ten All-Defensive Team (2014)
- Second-Team All-Big Ten (2015)
- Big Ten All-Defensive Team (2015)
- First-Team USBWA All-District (2015)
- First-Team NABC All-District (2015)
- Preseason All-Big Ten (2016)
- Abdul-Jabbar Watch List (2016)
- First-team All-Big Ten (2016)
- Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year (2016)
- First-team USBWA All-District (2016)
- Finalist for Abdul-Jabbar Award (2016)
- First-team NABC All-District (2016)
- AP Honorable Mention All-America (2016)
A.J. Hammons Senior Highlights
- Hammons had an outstanding senior season, being named honorable mention All-American, first-team All-Big Ten and the league's Defensive Player of the Year after averaging 15.0 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game while shooting 59.2 percent from the field.
- Was 1-of-4 players nationally to rank in the nation's top 25 in both blocked shots (14th) and field goal percentage (21st).
- Finished his career as 1-of-2 players in Big Ten history with 1,500 career points, 900 career rebounds and 340 career blocked shots (Purdue's Joe Barry Carroll).
- Finished career ranked 17th on the school's career scoring list (1,593 points), third in rebounds (930) and second in blocked shots (343).
- Scored in double-figures in each of his last 16 games and in 24 of his last 25 games (Rutgers).
- Finished the season ranked 15th in Purdue history in rebounds (270) and fifth in blocked shots (84). Narrowly missed leading the Big Ten in blocked shots for the fourth straight year (Jarrod Uthoff - 86; A.J. Hammons - 84).
- Became the first player since Georgetown's Michael Sweetney in 2002 to have at least 32 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 blocked shots in a game when he reached those marks against Nebraska in just 29 minutes.
- Became the first player since at least 2011 to have at least 16 points, 15 rebounds, 6 blocks and 3 assists in an NCAA Tournament game, when he reached those marks against Little Rock.
- Had a monster performance against No. 8-ranked Michigan State with 19 points, 13 rebounds and 8 blocked shots.
- In games that at least 18 NBA scouts were present, Hammons averaged 19.3 points, 10.0 rebounds and 4.3 blocks per game.
- Dominated likely first-round pick Damian Jones of Vanderbilt to the tune of 21 points, 10 rebounds and 7 blocked shots. Held Jones to six points in 15 foul-plagued minutes.
- Named to the All-Big Ten Tournament team after averaging 16.0 points, 9.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game, leading the Boilermakers to the finals.