Preseason Primer: Braden Smith

As Purdure preseason practice continues, GoldandBlack.com takes an in-depth look at each of the Boilermakers’ scholarship players and what may lie ahead.

Proceeding alphabetically, today: Senior Braden Smith.

Full series: Jack Benter | Raleigh Burgess | Oscar Cluff | CJ Cox | Gicarri Harris | Daniel Jacobsen | Trey Kaufman-Renn | Fletcher Loyer | Omer Mayer | Liam Murphy | Braden Smith | Antione West

OVERVIEW: PURDUE’S BRADEN SMITH

The likely preseason pole sitter for national player-of-the-year honors, Purdue’s All-America point guard is one of the best and most influential players in college basketball, back for one more season as the driving force behind one of the sport’s best teams.

Last season, Smith ran away with Big Ten Player-of-the-Year honors and consensus first-team America distinction and won the Cousy Award, a Zach Edey-like haul of hardware with still one more year to play.

As a junior, Smith averaged 15.8 points and 8.7 assists, along with 4.5 rebounds and 2.2 steals, the latter being an area where he changed games defensively for a while midseason as Purdue systematically freed him to just act as a disruptor. He shot 38 percent from three-point range and 83-percent at the line. His and Purdue’s season ended in a blaze of glory, as Smith cooked eventual NCAA runner-up Houston — the Cougars being the hardest team in America on opposing point guards — for 15 assists.

He created a different, but similarly effective pick-and-roll offensive dynamic with Trey Kaufman-Renn, unlocking his classmate in much the same way he did Edey. With Smith at the wheel, Purdue finished seventh nationally in offensive efficiency and placing fourth the year prior.

Smith has recorded 758 assists in his three seasons at Purdue. Bobby Hurley’s all-time NCAA record is 1,076, putting Smith 318 away. His total last season: 313.

SMITH’S POTENTIAL VALUE

This goes without saying as Smith’s the game’s most impactful offensive orchestrator and passer and one of its feared off-the-dribble scorers. He has helped back-to-back Purdue post scorers reach All-America levels and has generated countless great looks from three for an elite shooting roster. Smith’s gravity in pick-and-roll offense really is the foundation for Purdue offensively, and his ability to take care of the basketball its most important key, arguably.

Difference this year: Purdue was an excellent fast-break team last season, but generated too few opportunities once its midseason run of turnover-forcing ran its course. Purdue had only a little more than 300 fast-break chances last season, averaging roughly 6.6 transition shots per game, per Synergy Sports.

With defensive rebounding and rim protection deficiencies now perhaps flipped into strengths, it’s likely Smith will find himself running more transition.

ASSESSING NEED

Purdue needs everything from Smith, but one of the emerging themes here is how this team might alleviate some burden on him.

For one thing, and this is really important: Smith averaged 37 minutes last season and played all 40 on 13 occasions, including five out of the Boilermakers’ final six games. Purdue has tracked his shooting percentages and efficiency metrics over 10-minute blocks and observed decline. Smith will never admit he needs to play less or admit vulnerability of any kind, but clearly, last season’s workload was not ideal. To address the matter in-season last year, Purdue often had CJ Cox or Gicarri Harris bring the ball up, allowing Smith to move off the ball for a few seconds before being back into offensive action action. Defensively, Smith rarely guarded the ball.

Now, freshman Omer Mayer, in the best-case scenario, gives Purdue a legitimate backup point guard and offensive playmaker and the flexibility to rest Smith every so often. And with Harris and Cox back, the defensive burden remains manageable.

What Purdue needs from Smith as much as anything is for him to be really aggressive, but also make great decisions and to take care of the basketball. With this offensive infrastructure, simple plays are points and turnovers’ impact is super-sized.

Leadership, as well. Purdue, by every account, has to be more productively vocal. Such things are inextricably linked to A) seniors and B) point guards. Smith is both.

OVERALL OUTLOOK

Smith has earned his perch as one of college basketball’s biggest stars. Seniors — specifically senior guards — rule college basketball again and Purdue has the best there is. One of Purdue’s all-time greats’ success this season is measured in championships and victories.