Mason Gillis grows into leader for Purdue basketball
WEST LAFAYETTE - Mason Gillis had all the makings of a baseball star.
A 6-foot-6 outfielder and pitcher, he could touch 90 miles per hour as a teenager and once famously had the game-winning hit to send his hometown New Castle, Indiana team to the Little League World Series.
He loved baseball first, but ended up loving basketball more.
It wasn't just the game that Gillis developed an affinity for, but the work he had to put into basketball to be good.
The more time Gillis spent in the gym, the less time he was devoting to the baseball diamond. Or to soccer and football.
"I slowly transitioned into loving basketball more," Gillis said.
Now, Gillis is the captain for the No. 1 team in college basketball.
He and Ethan Morton were voted for that honor by their teammates.
"We vote for our captains, so that’s what his teammates think of him," Purdue coach Matt Painter said. "Part of leadership is when it doesn’t go your way, be happy for other people. He’s done a great job of that."
It hasn't always gone Gillis' way.
In fact, quite the opposite.
In high school, he had two surgeries on his right knee, keeping Gillis from playing his senior year at New Castle, one season after he and current Ball State guard Luke Bumbalough had their team just a few plays away from a state championship appearance in 2018.
After redshirting his first year at Purdue, Gillis had gone 985 days between games by the time he took the floor for the 2020 season opener. He ended up starting 23 games as a redshirt freshman, but his sophomore season began with a four-game suspension after pleading guilty to an OWI charge.
He'd return to the starting lineup, a spot reserved for him the first seven games this year as well. Gillis recently missed three straight games after a minor back injury suffered while working out in the weight room.
He's now coming off the bench.
"You can learn from it rather than let it affect you in a negative way," Gillis said. "The things I went through were tough, but the people who have helped me I am very grateful for them."
That's something Gillis tries to pass on to his teammates, partially the reason they chose him as their leader.
Gillis always claims to have been a vocal player. But, Gillis said, some people talk just to talk. For him now it's more about being heard.
"The vocal part is the part that's coming out more," assistant coach Terry Johnson said. "After practice, we don't really say much in the huddle. They find out what they have to do next and then it's Mason normally talking."
On the court, Gillis has all the skills.
He's a mismatch nightmare at 6-6. He can play physical with his thick body and he can draw you out on the perimeter and knock down 3-pointers.
Where Gillis found his niche with Purdue though was doing the dirty work that for decades has embodied what Boilermaker basketball is all about. Diving for loose balls and making hustle plays. Working the glass and playing defense.
That trickles down to a team that's currently undefeated with a plethora of players who have a similar willingness to do small things that in the end can add up big.
"That kind of mentality starts from the top down," sophomore Caleb Furst said. "With him being a leader and having that mentality is huge for us. It's definitely a key factor in why we've been able to be successful so far."
Gillis, once one of Indiana's top prep baseball prospects, put away his bat and glove what seems like a long time ago now.
Sometimes he does wonder what would have happened had he chosen that outlet for his athletic future.
But Gillis has no regrets.
"I don't know what would have happened if I kept playing baseball. Nobody can know," he said. "You can think about it all day long. I think I made the right decision. If I was to dwell or think about my decision, it's not going to get me anywhere. I just have to keep pushing forward. I am happy where I'm at."
Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at sking@jconline.com and follow him on Twitter and Instagram @samueltking.
Rutgers (9-4, 1-1) at No. 1 Purdue (13-0, 2-0)
Monday, 7 p.m.
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This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Mason Gillis grows into leader for Purdue basketball
