Purdue Point Guard Braden Smith Named to Big Ten All-Freshman Team
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — After starting all 31 games of the 2022-23 regular season, Purdue first-year point guard Braden Smith was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman team, the conference announced Tuesday.
He was joined by Indiana's Jalen Hood-Schifino, Wisconsin's Connor Essegian, Michigan's Jett Howard and Ohio State's Brice Sensabaugh. Smith was also an All-Big Ten honorable mention.
Talented 5⃣ here 👶#B1Gtoday pic.twitter.com/mxpf04YIuD
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) March 7, 2023
Smith has averaged 10.0 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.2 assists in his first season of college basketball, shooting 45.5 percent from the field, 41.5 percent from the 3-point line and 87.5 percent at the foul line.
The 6-foot freshman was a key component for Purdue finishing the regular season with a 26-5 overall record and a 15-5 mark in Big Ten play. The Boilermakers earned their 25th regular-season conference title and enter the upcoming Big Ten Tournament in Chicago with a double-bye and the No. 1 seed.
Smith posted a career-high 24 points in an 87-73 win over Iowa at Mackey Arena on Feb. 9. During Purdue's nonconference schedule, he recorded his first double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds during a 69-61 victory against Davidson in the Indy Classic back on Dec. 17.
Smith joined the Boilermakers this season after a stellar high school career at Westfield. He was the most recent player to be named Indiana's Mr. Basketball, finishing as the school's all-time leader in points (1,629) and assists (453).
For his senior season, Smith averaged 18.3 points, 6.0 assists and 6.0 rebounds per game. During his career, he made 281 career 3-pointers at a 42.8 percent clip and led Westfield to its first sectional title in 105 years.
In three sectional performances, Smith put up 24.3 points, 8.0 assists and 5.3 rebounds per contest while shooting 28-of-40 from the field and 13-of-21 from 3-point range.
Smith became the first Division I recruit in Westfield High School boys' basketball history.
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D.J. Fezler is a staff writer for BoilermakersCountry.com. Hailing from The Region, he is from Cedar Lake in Northwest Indiana and has spent the last two years covering Purdue football and basketball.