Lance Jones is returning to Purdue. The former Boilermakers guard said on Instagram that he is joining Matt Painter’s staff as a graduate assistant for the 2026-27 college basketball season.
Jones also wrote that clearly representing the black and gold for one year was not enough. He said he was super grateful to be going back to Purdue and becoming a graduate assistant, a homecoming that sends him back to West Lafayette after a brief but memorable run on one of the program’s best teams.
That run came in the 2023-24 season, when Jones transferred to Purdue after four years at Southern Illinois and became an important part of a team that finished 34-5, won the Big Ten regular-season championship and reached the Final Four for the first time since 1980. Jones averaged 11.7 points in his lone season in West Lafayette and played on Purdue’s national runner-up team.
His return also fits a pattern around Painter’s program. Jones has been a frequent visitor to Mackey Arena since his career ended two years ago, and he was a fan favorite on social media who often drew a loud ovation when shown on the video board. Purdue has also leaned on former players before, with several ex-Boilermakers now on staff.
The move gives Purdue another familiar voice in the building, and it comes after another strong season for the program. The Boilermakers finished 30-9, won the Big Ten Tournament championship and reached the Elite Eight before falling to Arizona, with P.J. Thompson serving as the team’s offensive coordinator and Sasha Stefanovic handling out-of-bounds plays. Jones is not just coming back to visit this time. He is coming back to work.
