"It’s probably better if we part ways" — Matt Painter reveals his honest answer to Kanon Catchings' plea to return to Purdue

Kanon Catchings and Matt Painter's Purdue saga has concluded, as the four-star recruit has signed with the Brigham Young Cougars (BYU).

Catchings, a top-50 recruit in the 2024 class, initially committed to Purdue in September 2022, a day after his official visit to the campus. He seemed to be heading toward West Lafayette to join Matt Painter's team, having signed a letter of intent in November 2022.

However, the 6-foot-8 forward decided to decommit from the Boilermakers and asked for his scholarship release. Coach Matt Painter said that he accepted the departure without much fuss.

"He was concerned about his role and just wanted out of his letter," Painter said Thursday. Went back the next day and said everything was good and it was just like, nah, it’s probably better if we part ways if you're questioning things before things start.….We wish him good luck and hope everything works for him."

Kanon Catchings, a top-class recruit for Painter and the Boilermaker, is expected to fit seamlessly into the team and play alongside rising sophomores Myles Colvin and Camden Heide. But things did not work out, and on June 6, the program announced it had approved his request for a release.

"Kanon has asked for his release from his scholarship and we have granted him that request," Painter said. "We wish him luck in his future endeavors.

Catchings pledged to Purdue while he was still a sophomore at Brownsburg. He played his senior year with Overtime Elite in Georgia.

Kanon Catchings commits to BYU

Two weeks after withdrawing his commitment from Purdue, Kanon Catchings signed with BYU on June 18.

Last season, Catchings averaged 15.3 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game for the Cold Hearts during the Overtime Elite regular season. He also boasts an impressive shooting accuracy of nearly 70% from inside the arc and over 37% from beyond the 3-point line.

Moreover, while playing for the Indy Heat in the Nike EYBL circuit during the summer last year, Catchings scored 14.1 points and 5.9 rebounds per game.

His addition to BYU is a significant acquisition for the team and coach Kevin Young, as they were looking for dynamic players of his caliber.

Young's men concluded the 2023-24 season with a record of 23 wins and 11 losses, of which 10 wins and eight losses were in Big 12 games. They tied for fifth place in the league standings and made it to the quarterfinals in the conference tournament.