Purdue coach Matt Painter has been named a recipient of the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Guardian of the Game Award. The announcement was made on Wednesday. He is one of five individuals to receive recognition.
The Guardian of the Game Award is presented to college basketball personnel who embody the NABC’s core values of leadership, service, education, advocacy and inclusion.
“The NABC Guardians of the Game platform showcases the impact coaches make beyond Xs and Os,” said NABC executive director Craig Robinson. “Each of this year’s recipients have left their own unique mark on and off the court, and I thank them for living out the NABC’s core values and serving as role models for our profession.”
Representing the NABC’s core values of Leadership, Advocacy, Inclusion, Education and Service.
Congratulations to the 2025 NABC Guardians of the Game award recipients! pic.twitter.com/9omTLkiwID
— NABC (@NABC1927) March 5, 2025
Painter received the honor in the area of Advocacy. Other recipients included LSU-Shreveport coach Kyle Blankenship (Leadership); NABC International committee chair Alan Lambert (Service); Chapman coach Dan Krikorian (Education); and Alabama A&M coach Otis Hughly Jr. (Inclusion).
Painter is in his 20th season as the head coach at Purdue and his 21st season overall. In his two decades at his alma mater, the Boilermakers have won five Big Ten regular season championships, a pair of Big Ten Tournament titles and have made 15 NCAA Tournament appearances. Purdue also reached the Final Four last season, playing in the National Championship Game.
For his career, Painter is approaching 500 career wins, sitting at 493 after Purdue’s win over Rutgers on Tuesday night.
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