By RICHIE HALL
sports@readthereporter.com
Westfield’s Braden Smith is headed to the NBA, and he will join his hometown team.
Smith was a two-time consensus All-American at Purdue and graduated as the NCAA Division I career assists leader. (Joshua Herd/File photo)
The Shamrocks and Purdue University star was selected 38th in the NBA Draft’s second round on Thursday by the Chicago Bulls, who then traded Smith to the Indiana Pacers. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that the Pacers traded “Kam Jones, future swaps and cash” for Smith.
Smith will see a familiar face at the Pacers: the team’s general manager is Chad Buchanan, father of Westfield graduate Trey Buchanan. Smith and Trey Buchanan were teammates for the Shamrocks’ historic 2022 sectional championship, the first one ever for Westfield boys basketball.
“We have a connection with the Buchanans,” said Shane Sumpter, who coached Smith at Westfield. “Chad Buchanan has watched Braden play from a young age. It’s just awesome for everybody, awesome for the Westfield community.”
Smith was at a watch party at Crafters in Westfield, with family, friends, Sumpter and Purdue coach Matt Painter when he received the news.
“It’s awesome that he’s going to be an Indiana Pacer and we’re all excited,” said Sumpter.
Smith was named the 2022 Indiana Mr. Basketball. He went on to have a stellar career for the Boilermakers, helping them to the 2024 NCAA national championship game.
Not many college players can match Smith’s numbers. He graduated Purdue as the NCAA Division I record-holder in career assists, with 1,103. Smith is the only player in NCAA Division I history to compile 1,500 career points, 1,000 assists and 500 rebounds. He was a consensus First-Team All-American in his junior and senior seasons.
His nba.com draft profile has high praise for Smith, calling him a floor general that “does it cleanly, maintaining one of the best assist-to-turnover ratios in the country while carrying a massive playmaking burden.”
The report also projects a solid career for Smith. “His playmaking volume, turnover avoidance, pull-up shooting and steal generation fit a clear archetype of smaller guards who have carved out long NBA careers.”
“I’ve seen Braden playing basketball since he was in fifth grade,” said Sumpter. “Very proud of him. Excited for him to prove the doubters wrong. That’s been a theme with Braden.”
Smith’s Purdue teammate, Trey Kaufman-Renn, was selected 59th by the Minnesota Timberwolves, giving the Boilermakers two picks in the draft.
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