Where Purdue's Braden Smith Lands in Multiple NBA Mock Drafts Following Combine

Purdue Boilermakers guard Braden Smith (3) in the second half against the Evansville Purple Aces. Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Where Purdue's Braden Smith Lands in Multiple NBA Mock Drafts Following Combine

Originally posted on Purdue Boilermakers on SI
By Dustin Schutte | Last updated May 23, 2026 4:30 PM ET

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Where is Braden Smith headed? That's the big question everyone is asking after the former Purdue guard put on a solid performance at the NBA Scouting Combine earlier this month. We won't know until late June, but new projections from multiple outlets are predicting where the NCAA's all-time assist leader could land.

After his week-long stay in Chicago, Smith has remained a consensus second-round projection for the 2026 NBA Draft. Multiple outlets predict the former Boilermaker will be selected somewhere in the 40s.

Here's a quick look at where some of the latest projections regarding Smith and where he could begin his NBA journey:

Yahoo Sports — No. 46 to the Orlando Magic
ESPN — No. 46 to the Orlando Magic
Bleacher Report — No. 43 to the Brooklyn Nets

Smith's passing skills on display at NBA Combine

Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

The two greatest skills that Smith brings to the basketball court are his high IQ and his ability to facilitate. You don't become the NCAA's all-time assist leader without those two qualities.

In the two scrimmages he participated in at the NBA Scouting Combine, Smith showcased his passing skills, though it didn't always result in assists. He set the table nicely for his teammates frequently throughout those two games, finding guys for open looks.

Smith finished the two scrimmages averaging 8.5 points, 5.0 assists and 3.5 rebounds. He put up better numbers in his second game, ending that one with nine points, seven assists and three steals.

Although the former Boilermaker performed well during the athletic training and shooting drills during his time at the NBA Scouting Combine, it was the five-on-five action where he really showed off his ability to play at the next level.

Will teams overlook Smith's height?

Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

The one concern NBA teams are going to have with Smith is undoubtedly his height. He measured in at 5-foot-10 and weighed in at just under 167 pounds. Will that be a deterrent for some teams when it comes to potentially drafting the former Purdue star?

Smith has faced that criticism throughout his basketball career, yet he's continued to prove people wrong. He was Indiana's Mr. Basketball in 2022 and was named the Big Ten Player of the Year in 2025. He's looking forward to proving people wrong again in the NBA.

"I think this has been the least stressful out of my last five years for me," Smith told Brian Neubert of GoldandBlack.com during the NBA Combine. "I know that's kinda crazy. Like, you don't know where you're gonna be in the next month, you could be wherever. I'm done with school, I'm playing basketball every single day, and I get to prove people wrong. That's what I love doing."

Smith could be a low-risk, high-reward selection in this year's NBA Draft. Which team will take a chance on the former Boilermaker when late June rolls around?

This article first appeared on Purdue Boilermakers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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