WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue Athletics and men’s basketball head coach Matt Painter have announced updates to the Purdue men’s basketball coaching and support staff.
P.J. Thompson has been elevated to associate head coach, while Kenneth Lowe has been hired as an assistant coach. In addition, Lance Jones and Sterling Carter and have been announced as graduate assistant coaches for the next two seasons.
Lowe replaces Terry Johnson, who has left Purdue for other professional opportunities.
Thompson, a former Boilermaker point guard who graduated in 2018, has been elevated to associate head coach after previously serving as an assistant coach and director of player development for five seasons. Entering his eighth total season on the Purdue coaching staff, Thompson has played an integral role in player development, recruiting and scouting, helping Purdue maintain its position among the nation’s elite programs.
Thompson serves as the Boilermakers’ primary offensive coach, leading Purdue to the nation’s 4th, 7th and top-ranked offense over the last three seasons.
In addition, Thompson’s prowess on the recruiting trail has been impressive, helping the Boilermakers land the seventh-ranked recruiting class in the Class of 2026, Purdue’s highest team ranking in almost 20 years.
“P.J. is one of the brightest young coaches in all of college basketball and he has had a very impressive start to his coaching career,” Painter said. “He has helped transform our offense into the best offense in the country and he has made a major impact in our recruiting efforts. We are excited that he will continue to gain valuable experience here at Purdue and be a fixture in our program for the foreseeable future.”
Returning to Purdue as an assistant coach will be former Boilermaker and two-time Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Kenneth Lowe, who just wrapped up his fourth season as an assistant coach at St. Thomas University in Minnesota.
Lowe, who was responsible for the Tommies’ defensive strategy, helped St. Thomas into the Division I era with success. Last season, the Tommies finished with a 24-10 overall record, finishing second in the Summit League with a 12-4 record despite having one of the youngest rosters in the country. St. Thomas boasted the league’s second-ranked defense behind champion North Dakota State.
During the 2024-25 season, the Tommies lost in the conference championship game to Nebraska-Omaha and finished with another 24-10 record and 12-4 league mark. The squad finished among the top 20 nationally in turnover margin.
In his second season during the 2023-24 campaign, St. Thomas finished 17th nationally in scoring defense.
Prior to his time at St. Thomas, Lowe spent five seasons as an assistant coach at Miami, Ohio. Previously, he was at Purdue for four seasons from 2014-17.
“Kenny brings valuable experience to our coaching staff, both as a former player and assistant coach. At his previous stops, most notably St. Thomas, he has shown an understanding and commitment to coaching at the defensive end and to maximizing player development and improvement. He will be a welcome addition to our program,” Painter said.
Painter has also announced that Lance Jones and Sterling Carter will serve as graduate assistants for the next two seasons.
Jones played at Purdue for one season in 2023-24, helping the Boilermakers to the National Championship game, the Big Ten regular-season championship and school-record 34 victories. Jones, who was noted as a defensive specialist, averaged 11.7 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.9 assists while making 80, 3-pointers in his lone season at Purdue.
The past two years, Jones has spent time playing professionally both in Spain and Mexico.
Carter spent the 2013-14 season with Purdue after playing three seasons at Seattle U. During the 2013-14 season, Carter averaging 4.8 points per game, making 28, 3-pointers. His season was ended abruptly in mid-February when he tore his ACL against Nebraska. Carter is remembered for his career performance in an 82-64 win over Indiana, when he scored 19 points while making 5-of-6 from long range.
Carter would play professionally in Germany and has been a high school and AAU coach for several years.
“Both Lance and Sterling played big parts in our program in the one year they played here, and we are excited to bring them back. Sterling has been involved in coaching for the last several years and is ready to expand his role into the collegiate ranks. Lance is looking to break into coaching for the first time. They both have outstanding personalities and will be a great fit for us and the relationships they will develop at Purdue,” Painter added.
Purdue will welcome back every available scholarship player for the 2026-27 season in addition to one of the most sought-after transfers in the country, Caden Pierce, as well as a highly-regarded incoming freshman class.