All-American guard Braden Smith will return to Purdue: What it means for him, college basketball

Braden Smith is running it back at Purdue.

The school announced Monday that its All-American guard will return to the Boilermakers for his senior season.

Just got a text.

All we can say is wow. pic.twitter.com/yYUJym6A7f

— Purdue Men’s Basketball (@BoilerBall) April 14, 2025

The 6-footer has been a backcourt stalwart for Purdue, starting 110 games across his three seasons while averaging 12.5 points, 6.9 assists and 4.9 rebounds per game. He had a career-best assist mark of 8.7 per game in 2024-25. Last season, following the departure of dominant big man Zach Edey, Smith also took on a greater scoring load, averaging a career-high 15.8 ppg. He was named an AP first-team All-American.

The Boilermakers are 87-23 and have reached the NCAA Tournament in each of Smith’s three seasons. They advanced to the regional semifinal last month before being eliminated by Houston, 62-60.

A win for Purdue, Smith and the sport

Strictly from a basketball perspective, this could end up being the most consequential returnee decision we’ll see all offseason. Smith will be the lone returning First-Team All-American next season and very well might be the Preseason National Player of the Year. In years past, his breakout junior season — in which he was second nationally in assists per game and assist rate while leading Purdue to the Sweet 16 — would have almost forced Smith’s hand and made him test his NBA Draft luck. But instead, in the NIL era? A 6-foot point guard whose physical limitations may prevent him from ever being drafted doesn’t have to turn pro and can return to a ready-made on-court situation that simultaneously maximizes his present earning potential. Given market trends this offseason, it would be shocking if Smith isn’t making at least $2 million next season, if not more — which, it goes without saying, is much more than he’d have earned as a mid- or late-second-round pick. His return is good for Purdue, obviously, but it’s also good for Smith and college basketball on the whole.

Back to the on-court focus, Smith’s return should ensure that Purdue begins next season ranked in the top 5 nationally — if not No. 1 overall. Between Smith and forward Trey Kaufman-Renn, who earned All-American honorable mention honors this season, Matt Painter is poised to have the strongest returning duo in the sport. Beyond his gaudy assist numbers, Smith is a knockdown 3-point shooter — 38.1 percent this season, on 6.1 attempts per game — and free-throw shooter who gives Painter at least one guaranteed perimeter threat. Per CBB Analytics, Smith shot in the 95th percentile nationally on corner 3s this season, while his 1.132 points per possession (PP) in spot-up shooting scenarios ranked as “excellent” and in the 84th percentile nationally, per Synergy. He also improved as a defender this season, committing fouls at a career-low rate while also posting a career-high, top-100 steal rate. — Brendan Marks

How good can Purdue be next season?

What’s next for Smith is continuing to grow in the season’s most important moments: namely, the NCAA Tournament. While his season-high 15 assists against Houston in the Sweet 16 were integral to the Boilermakers keeping the game within one possession, his seven points on 2-for-7 shooting simply weren’t enough for Purdue to make it back to the Final Four. Additionally, his propensity for turnovers — nine games this season with five or more — is somewhat unavoidable given his ball-handling responsibilities, but further tampering that down should pay huge dividends in the margins. Assuming Kaufman-Renn and Fletcher Loyer are back next season, too — and Loyer already commented on Smith’s return announcement with a ring emoji, for what it’s worth — then Purdue should be among the national title favorites, regardless of how the rest of its roster shakes out. Smith and those other two, but especially the bearded 6-foot All-American, are that good. — Marks

(Photo: Maddie Meyer / Getty Images)