Purdue’s Braden Smith Makes NIL Announcement on Monday

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Will Chesanek | Last updated Mar 16, 2026 9:45 PM ET

Braden Smith and the No. 2 seed Purdue Boilermakers are steaming, heading into the NCAA Tournament on a hot streak after winning the Big Ten Championship 80-72 against Yaxel Lendeborg and the Michigan Wolverines. Purdue won four games in four days to win their conference tournament, and they now turn their attention to their opening round matchup against No. 15 seed Queens (NC) in the West region of the NCAA Tournament.

Smith was electric for the Boilermakers in the Big Ten championship, playing 38 minutes while scoring 14 points and leading the team with 11 assists. The undersized guard out of Westfield, Indiana, was recognized for his performance, winning the Big Ten Tournament MVP.

Purdue's Braden Smith and Trey Kaufman-Renn© Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Although Smith has garnered attention for his play all season, his profile has continued to rise heading into March Madness. Following a 16-assist performance against Northwestern in the Big Ten tournament, where Smith dove head-first to save a ball, Purdue put the "Superman" dive on a shirt. Now, after winning the Big Ten Championship, the former Indiana Mr. Basketball winner has more to promote.

On Monday, Smith took to social media to share his latest partnership. The Boilermakers star revealed his new partnership with Ritz Crackers. In a video shared on Instagram, Smith is shown pumping his fist and yelling "Let's Go!" after flipping a Ritz cracker into a mini basketball hoop. The video moves to a "Snackz Time Outz" segment, where the Purdue guard answers a series of questions.

"RITZPartner March Madness means staying ready - on and off the court," Smith wrote on Instagram. "Whether you’re watching every possession or just enjoying the games, RITZ is the move. Enter for a chance to win a Final Four experience + bucketloads of other prizes..."