A Look Back at Purdue Basketball: Daniel Jacobsen

One of the most intriguing aspects of Jacobsen’s game is his ability to stretch the floor, a rarity for a player of his height. Although he didn’t showcase it frequently this season, largely because the floor was already spaced by elite shooters like Loyer, Smith, and Harris, the 7’4” center has a legitimate perimeter stroke. He finished the season shooting 37.5% from deep on limited attempts, providing a glimpse into a future where he can pull opposing rim protectors out of the paint. This versatility makes him a potential nightmare for opponents, as it stands to reason the offense will look different next season to feature the skillset that he and Raleigh Burgess have.

Despite the offensive upside, the 2026 season revealed that Jacobsen still has work to do on the defensive end. As the season progressed, he showed visible struggles with complex defensive concepts and often failed to play to his full size. At 250+ pounds, the expectation is for him to be a physical force in the paint, yet he was occasionally thrown off by contact and struggled with positioning against more aggressive interior players. To reach his ceiling, he will need to embrace that enforcer role that Brandon Brantley has been able to develop time and again. That type of development can ensure that his 7’4” presence is felt not just as a shot-blocker (where he excelled with an 11.6% block rate), but as a physical deterrent on both ends of the floor.

Looking forward, the comparisons for Jacobsen are becoming clearer. With his unique combination of mobility, shot-blocking instincts, and outside shooting potential, he is developing into what may eventually be a higher-level version of Matt Haarms. While Haarms provided energy and rim protection, Jacobsen offers a higher offensive ceiling and a more imposing physical frame. His ability to move across the floor at his height is rare, and if he can bridge the gap between his talent and his physical play, he is poised to become the next dominant force in the Purdue lineage.

Ultimately, the 2026 season for DJ should be viewed as a foundational year. While he didn’t leap into the expectations that many had for him, he proved that the physical tools and the skillset are present for him to be a cornerstone of the program. As the roster shifts and more minutes become available, the “big jump” Matt Painter expects seems less like a possibility and more like an inevitability. For Purdue fans, the wait for Jacobsen to fully arrive may take a bit longer than expected, but the glimpses of brilliance this season suggest the payoff will be well worth it.

Best Season Memory:

Early on in the season it looked like DJ was primed to take a big jump following a disappointing freshman season that ended after just one game due to a broken leg. In the first six games of the season, DJ averaged an impressive 10.3 points, 5 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks per game, buoyed by an impressive showing against Eastern Illinois. DJ would shoot 100% from the floor going 8-8 while hitting 8-9 free throws on his way to a career high 24 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 blocks in just 18 minutes of action.