Braden Smith and his family are on a Spring Break vacation in Florida, and it’s a vacation he will never forget.
On Saturday morning, Smith was told that he would be going with friends to have a meeting at a golf course. Once in the clubhouse, the Westfield senior saw his basketball coach Shane Sumpter and Shamrocks athletic director Andy Tebbe.
They were there to present Smith with the Indiana #1 jersey – Smith is the 2022 IndyStar Indiana Mr. Basketball. (You can see video of the moment Smith was presented with the jersey here.) Smith finished first in the online voting of media and boys’ varsity coaches conducted by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association and All-Star game director Mike Broughton.
“It was just crazy,” said Smith. “I wasn’t really expecting it at the moment. Just seeing all my friends and family there was just awesome to have.”
Smith earned the boys’ top honor after receiving 128 votes submitted to Broughton in balloting that ran from March 11 through March 29. Fletcher Loyer of Homestead was runner-up with 109 votes. C.J. Gunn of Lawrence North finished third with 57 votes. Connor Essegian of Central Noble placed fourth with 41 votes and Travis Grayson of Chesterton finished fifth with 16 votes. In total, 11 players received at least one Mr. Basketball vote.
There’s also a family connection for Smith when it comes to earning a state’s top high school basketball honor.
“My mom was also Miss Basketball in Arkansas, so just for her to go on and do that and me to do that as well means a lot for everyone,” said Smith. Braden’s mother, Ginny (Moore) Smith, was named Arkansas Miss Basketball in 1997.
Braden Smith, who is headed to Purdue University this fall, averaged 18.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.9 steals as a senior while leading Westfield to a 22-7 season that included the Shamrocks’ first sectional championship. He converted 50.7 percent on field goals (139 of 274), including 41.9 percent from 3-point range (52 of 124). He also sank 75.3 percent of his free throws (55 of 73).
Smith is the 13th Mr. Basketball recipient – and second in two years – bound for Purdue. He joins Joe Sexson (1952), Willie Eison (1955), Dennis Brady (1964), Billy Keller (1965), Rick Mount (1966), Kyle Macy (1975), Dan Palombizio (1981), Troy Lewis (1984), Woody Austin (1988), Glenn Robinson (1991), Caleb Swanigan (2015) and Caleb Furst (2021) as Mr. Basketball winners who joined the Boilermakers.
SCHOOL RECORDS
For his career, Smith totaled a school-record 1,629 points while adding 476 rebounds, a school-record 453 assists and 158 steals. He tallied a career-high 41 points against Noblesville in the sectional as a junior. He also notched single-game bests of 10 rebounds on four occasions, 10 assists on three occasions and nine steals against Cathedral as a senior in the Raymond James Hall of Fame Classic.
When it comes to best memories of playing for the Shamrocks, Smith said it was being around his teammates. “That’s something you can’t really get back, all those bus rides, all the practices and all the time we had off the court and on the court,” he said.
Smith’s career point total stands ninth on Hamilton County all-time boys basketball scoring list, and he becomes the sixth Mr. Basketball honoree from Hamilton County. The previous Mr. Basketball winners from Hamilton County are Billy Shepherd of Carmel in 1968, David Shepherd of Carmel in 1970, Tom Coverdale of Noblesville in 1998, Gary Harris of Hamilton Southeastern in 2012 and Zak Irvin of Hamilton Southeastern in 2013.
Smith is the first boy and the fourth player from Westfield High School to earn a spot on the Indiana All-Stars. Other Shamrocks previously selected to the All-Stars, all girls, have been Jenn Anderson in 2013, Kayla Brown in 2014 and Alyssa Crockett in 2022.
While in high school, Smith was chosen IBCA Senior Supreme 15 this season. Previously, he was voted IBCA Underclass Large School All-State as a sophomore and IBCA Underclass Supreme 15 as a junior. He also was selected first-team all-Hoosier Crossroads Conference as a sophomore, junior and senior.
Smith’s senior season achievements became even more remarkable as he played several games with a broken left foot during the last few weeks of the season. Smith had surgery on his foot once the season was over; he said he’s doing well and “just taking it day by day.” Smith’s plans are to work out, lift, “and try to do whatever I can to get the foot back to 100 percent. I’ll be ready,” he said.
Mr. Basketball and Miss Basketball traditionally wear No. 1 jerseys for the respective Indiana Boys All-Stars and Indiana Girls All-Stars in the annual series with Kentucky. The All-Stars will face the Indiana Junior All-Stars in an exhibition doubleheader on June 8 at a site to be announced. The All-Stars follow with their home-and-home doubleheaders with Kentucky – June 10 at the Owensboro SportsCenter in Owensboro, Ky., and June 11 at Southport Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.