15
Jan
Aussies in NCAAM
Is Oscar 'Cluff' enough for the 2026 NBA Draft?
Australian centre Oscar Cluff (45) react to Purdue making a 3-point shot against the Auburn Tigers during the Indy Classic on December 21, 2025 (AEDT) at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. Photo: Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Highlights
Cluff’s elite NCAA numbers demand attention, but his NBA pathway is performance, not projection
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Queenslander Oscar Cluff isn't a projected NBA draft pick in 2026 despite being in the Top 10 of multiple categories in NCAA Men's Division 1 basketball season.
Cluff, 22, has the highest Offensive Rating of any player in the country at 161.4, nine percentage points ahead of his nearest rival. He's eighth (30.9) in Player Efficiency, second in Offensive Rebound Percentage (21.3), 10th in Total Rebound Percentage (21.5), ninth is +/- (13.3), fourth in Total Win Shares per 40 minutes (.312), and third in True Shooting Percentage (.747).
At first glance, those numbers should attract plenty of attention given he's a key piece of the fifth-ranked Purdue Boilermakers quest for a national championship.
But there is more to it.
Why Cluff is not a draft lock
NBA franchises prioritise translation traits in the draft, not just dominance:
- Age curve: As a fifth-year senior, Cluff is older than most draftable bigs. Teams use the draft to buy development runway.
- Athletic profile: He is powerful, mobile enough, and extremely skilled — but not an above-the-rim rim-runner or vertical spacer by NBA standards.
- Spacing limitation: No perimeter shooting volume. NBA fours and fives are increasingly expected to either:
- Stretch the floor or
- Be elite vertical lob threats
Unfortunately for Cluff, he is neither — he’s elite between those archetypes.
Why Cluff's production does matter
His analytics profile is exceptional, not inflated:
- PER 30.9 — Top-10 NCAA
- Offensive Rating 161.4 — No. 1 in the country
- Offensive Rebound % 21.3 — Elite even by NBA benchmarks
- Turnover % 6.6 — Extremely low for a high-touch big
These numbers show:
- NBA-level decision-making
- Possession efficiency
- Role discipline
And NBA front offices absolutely notice this and love this — just not usually via the draft.
What does it mean for Cluff's NBA future?
Cluff is a post-draft evaluation target, not a draft night name.
Most likely routes:
- Summer League invite (highly plausible)
- Exhibit 10 contract
- Two-way contract consideration if he:
- Defends NBA pace in space
- Holds his ground in drop coverage
- Continues elite offensive rebounding vs NBA athletes
This is the same lane travelled by many high-IQ college bigs who were undervalued by draft economics. Cluff will get an opportunity through the NBA Draft Combine.
If Cluff earns an NBA contract, it will be because he forces his way in through performance, not projection — and that aligns perfectly with the way his entire career has unfolded so far.
Oscar Cluff Player Profile
- Name: Oscar Cluff
- Age: 22
- Team(s): Washington State Cougars (2023-24), South Dakota State Jackrabbits (2024-25), Purdue Boilermakers (2025-26)
- Position: Forward/Centre
- Height: 6-11 (211cm)
- Weight: 255lb (115kg)
- Class: Graduate Student
- Hometown: Sunshine Coast, Australia
- High School: Kawana Waters State High School
- Honours: 2024–25 All-Summit (1st Team), 2024–25 Summit All-Defense
2025–26 Season Snapshot (Purdue)
- Games: 16
- Minutes: High-usage rotation big
- Production: 11.9 pts | 8.6 reb | 1.7 ast
- Efficiency: 74.5% FG | 74.7% TS | 74.5% eFG
- Impact Metrics: PER 30.9 (Top-10 NCAA) | ORtg 161.4 (No. 1 NCAA) | BPM +13.3
- Winning: 2.9 Win Shares (early-season pace)
Context: Cluff’s move into a top-five program has not reduced impact — it has sharpened it. His usage is controlled, his touch around the rim elite, and his screening, offensive rebounding, and decision-making have translated cleanly to Big Ten physicality.
Career Snapshot (81 games)
- Averages: 11.9 pts | 8.1 reb | 1.9 ast
- Efficiency: 62.2% FG | 62.6% eFG | 74.5% FT
- Advanced: PER 27.8 | 11.4 Win Shares
What the Numbers Say (Why Cluff Scales Up)
- Elite Finisher: Career Top-10 NCAA marks in FG%, eFG%, and TS% during peak seasons; 2025–26 TS% .747 leads the Big Ten.
- Possession Winner: Offensive Rebound % 21.3 (Top-2 NCAA; No. 1 Big Ten) — second-chance points without extra usage.
- Decision Economy: Turnover % 6.6 (Top-5 Big Ten) despite heavy interior touches.
- Two-Way Signal: Summit All-Defense pedigree backed by strong DRtg history and consistent block rates.
- On/Off Value: BPM +13.3 and ORtg 161.4 reflect lineup lift, not empty efficiency.
Leaderboard Highlights
- Player Efficiency: 2024–25 No. 1 NCAA (35.2); 2025–26 Top-10 NCAA / No. 1 Big Ten (30.9)
- Rebounding: Multiple No. 1 conference finishes (TRB%, ORB%, DRB%)
- Efficiency: Repeated Top-10 NCAA placements in eFG% and TS%
- Offensive Rating: No. 1 NCAA (161.4) in 2025–26
Cluff is a rare NCAA big who adds possessions, converts them at historic rates, and improves lineup efficiency.
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