WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Westfield High School standout and 2022 Purdue basketball signee Braden Smith has been named Indiana's Mr. Basketball, in voting conducted by the Indy Star, the newspaper announced this morning.
Smith becomes the 13th recipient of Indiana's Mr. Basketball to play at Purdue. With Caleb Furst winning the award last year, Purdue recruits have now won consecutive Indiana Mr. Basketball for the first time in over 50 years (1966 - Rick Mount; 1965 - Billy Keller; 1964 – Dennis Brady).
In addition, for the second straight year, Purdue boasts the top-two vote getters as Homestead's Fletcher Loyer was voted as the runner-up. Loyer won the Gatorade Player of Year for Indiana in mid-March. Caleb Furst won the award in 2021, with Trey Kaufman-Renn was the runner-up a year ago.
Smith ended his career as Westfield's all-time leader in points (1,629) and assists (453) and led Westfield to its first sectional title in 105 years. For the 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.
In three sectional games, Smith averaged 24.3 points, 8.0 assists and 5.3 rebounds while shooting 28-of-40 (.700) from the field and 13-of-21 (.619) from 3-point range.
Smith is part of a recruiting class ranked just outside the top 25, which currently consists of Loyer and wing Cam Heide (Wayzata, Minnesota).
Smith becomes the 13th recipient of Indiana's Mr. Basketball to play at Purdue. With Caleb Furst winning the award last year, Purdue recruits have now won consecutive Indiana Mr. Basketball for the first time in over 50 years (1966 - Rick Mount; 1965 - Billy Keller; 1964 – Dennis Brady).
In addition, for the second straight year, Purdue boasts the top-two vote getters as Homestead's Fletcher Loyer was voted as the runner-up. Loyer won the Gatorade Player of Year for Indiana in mid-March. Caleb Furst won the award in 2021, with Trey Kaufman-Renn was the runner-up a year ago.
Smith ended his career as Westfield's all-time leader in points (1,629) and assists (453) and led Westfield to its first sectional title in 105 years. For the 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.
In three sectional games, Smith averaged 24.3 points, 8.0 assists and 5.3 rebounds while shooting 28-of-40 (.700) from the field and 13-of-21 (.619) from 3-point range.
Smith is part of a recruiting class ranked just outside the top 25, which currently consists of Loyer and wing Cam Heide (Wayzata, Minnesota).