Purdue basketball, who will start with Braden Smith? Omer Mayer, C.J. Cox

AI-assisted summary

Purdue men's basketball has four players competing for the starting shooting guard position.

Coach Matt Painter considers the competition a "good problem to have" due to the strong summer performances from all candidates.

C.J. Cox, Gicarri Harris, Omer Mayer, and Antione West Jr. each bring different strengths to the role.

WEST LAFAYETTE — We can debate and speculate all day about Purdue men's basketball's hierarchy of options at shooting guard.

What does the view look like from inside the competition? C.J. Cox appears to be taking the only approach which can work -- worry about what he can control.

"Pushing each other, getting each other better," Cox said of the preseason competition. "And then whoever gets more playing time gets that, all on Paint's decision