Matt Painter, Purdue Teammates Talk About Braden Smith Closing in on Assist Record

Eight.

That's the number of assists Braden Smith needs to become Purdue's all-time assists leader. A record set by Bruce Parkinson — who dished out 690 assists from 1972-77 in West Lafayette — is about to be broken. It could happen as early as Sunday, when the Boilermakers travel to Bloomington for a rivalry showdown with Indiana at Assembly Hall.

But, if not, there's still three regular season remaining for Smith to etch his name in Purdue basketball history. Oh, and if somehow that's not enough time to break the record (it is), he still has one year of eligibility remaining.

It's been an impressive three-year run in West Lafayette for Smith, who first arrived on campus with a boot on his left foot. But ever since he was cleared to play in 2022, he's been running Purdue's offense at full speed.

He hasn't slowed down.

"He's a great passer — he walked in the door that way. He's got great vision, he's got a great skill set. He's earned it," coach Matt Painter said. "Obviously, he's figured out how to play with different teammates, different skill sets. I think trying to get the ball to guys where they're comfortable and in scoring position — he can do it a lot of ways, whether he's playing in transition or out of ball screens or moving the basketball."

One of Smith's running mates, Fletcher Loyer, knew his teammate was special from the time he stepped onto the practice court in West Lafayette. The two have started every game since their freshman year in the 2022-23 campaign.

Smith was a solid passer then, averaging 4.4 assists per game in his first season with the Boilermakers. But his skill has grown immensely over the past two years.

"When he got off his injury that summer his freshman year, you knew he was going to play a lot," Loyer said. "Obviously, when you see a freshman take over and have the ball in his hands that much, you know it's going to be really special for this program."

One player who appreciated Smith's elite passing skills more than most was former Purdue center and two-time National Player of the Year Zach Edey. The 7-foot-4 superstar formed a lethal tandem with Smith during his time in West Lafayette.

Together, the duo helped guide the Boilermakers to a pair of Big Ten regular season championships (2023, 2024) a Big Ten Tournament title (2023) and a trip to the National Championship Game (2024).

While in Indianapolis for Thursday's NBA game between the Memphis Grizzlies and Indiana Pacers, Edey explained why Smith is such a terrific passer.

"His willingness to pass and I say his vision, being able to see passes, being able to see little windows, see little bounce-pass windows, he's going to hit you right on target, he's going to make a good pass. I think that's underrated," Edey said in a video posted by The Indianapolis Star. "A lot of people can make the pass, but not a lot of people can make that pass accurately and in a pocket like he does. It's special what he does."

During Smith's sophomore campaign, he averaged 7.5 assists per game, one of the top numbers in the country. But it's gotten even better in his junior season.

Through 27 games this year, Smith is averaging 8.8 assists per game. He's had 15 games this year with eight or more dimes. His average ranks second nationally, behind only Gonzaga's Ryan Nembhard.

Smith's consistency as Purdue's primary ball-handler and offensive leader has put him in a position to become a legend in West Lafayette and solidify his spot in the record books.

"For him to be able to do it his junior year is big," Painter said. "The fact that he's put himself in elite company and he hasn't finished his junior year yet is pretty impressive."

By the time Smith's career is done at Purdue, Loyer believes he won't just be mentioned among the all-time great point guards in program history. He believes Smith has set a new standard.

"It's pretty cool. He's going to be the best point guard in Purdue history," Loyer said. "It's really awesome to see how he's developed."