GLENDALE, Ariz. – When Brian Waddell reached the stands on Sunday after Purdue clinched its first Final Four in 44 years, one of the first people he saw was his father, Matt.

“He just said ‘congrats’ and that we were able to do what his team couldn’t do – kind of jokingly,” Waddell said. “He was super happy for me and the team. He said to enjoy the experience if you play or don’t play. It’s a super cool thing to be a part of.”

Matt Waddell, a former Tipton star who was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017, was a starter on Purdue’s 1994 and ’95 Big Ten Conference championship teams. The ’94 group came one step short of making a Final Four appearance, losing to Duke in the Elite Eight. While Brian was not around for those games in the ‘90s, he is one of the players in the Purdue locker room who can appreciate what it's like for Purdue to finally make it back to this stage.

“You can’t really prepare for this, you know?” Waddell said after a practice at State Farm Stadium this week. “Those first few seconds you walk out into that stadium, it’s just unbelievable. It’s something you watch on TV growing up. It’s just a whole different thing looking around and seeing the scenery.”

The 6-8 Waddell committed to Purdue three years ago this month, shortly after he was named to the Indiana All-Star team and led Carmel to a 26-2 record and Class 4A state championship. That 2021 All-Star team also included his current Purdue teammates, Mr. Basketball Caleb Furst of Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian and Trey Kaufman-Renn of Silver Creek. Waddell, who averaged 15.8 points and 6.4 rebounds as a senior, committed to Purdue over mid-major opportunities with the idea going in that he would spend a redshirt season his first year as part of the long-term plan.

After undergoing knee surgery in November of his redshirt season, Waddell appeared in 17 games as a redshirt freshman last season. This season he has played in 14 games, scoring 16 points and pulling down eight rebounds. Those numbers might not sound like much. But Waddell said the opportunity to play on the scout team every day against the Purdue regulars at practice has been beneficial for him and his development as a player.

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When Waddell signed with Purdue, Painter said he would be a player who is “just a good all-round player who will help us win a lot of games here.”

“I feel like I’ve improved a lot,” he said. “Coach Painter had me on the scout team this year, getting ready to play against those guys every day and just working on my game. I’ve just had a lot more time to get ready, not taking time off while I’m not playing. I’m just continuing to get better.”

Waddell said he is excited to see his sister, Taylor, who is making the drive from her home in Los Angeles. Throughout the week, he said he has heard from former teachers through his parents and “other people I haven’t heard from in years.”

“You saw guys like Robbie Hummel get so emotional because they have waited so long for this moment,” Waddell said. “A lot of fans have, too. It’s really cool to be a part of that and see how happy they were. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I still have years in the future but to be able to take away from this experience is really cool. But we’re also locking in and remembering what we’re here to do.”

Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Purdue basketball's Brian Waddell readies for Final Four vs. NC State