Braden Smith, the Westfield, Indiana native who built his name at Purdue, is officially headed to the Indiana Pacers after a draft-night trade. The Chicago Bulls selected Smith with the No. 38 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, then shipped him to Indiana in exchange for Kam Jones, along with future pick swaps and cash.
Local Roots
Smith’s roots run deep in the state. He starred at Westfield High School and earned Indiana Mr. Basketball honors in 2022, a title that carries serious weight in a place where basketball is woven into the community. Now he gets to keep writing his story in front of the people who watched him grow up.
His four years as a Boilermaker put him among the program’s all-time greats. Smith broke Bobby Hurley’s all-time NCAA assists record, finishing with 1,103 career assists. That alone tells you how he sees the floor.
Pacers Future
Smith projects as a smart, willing playmaker who can learn behind one of the league’s best point guards. He may not start right away, but his IQ and competitive fire give him a real shot at carving out minutes.
Original reporting: 93.1 WIBC (Indianapolis) — read the source article.
