WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue senior point guard Braden Smith has been named one of 10 semifinalists for the Naismith Award, given to the nation’s top college basketball player.
The consensus first-team All-American is joined on the list by BYU’s A.J. Dybantsa, Arkansas’ Darius Acuff Jr., Duke’s Cameron Boozer, Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg, Arizona’s Jaden Bradley, St. John’s Zuke Ejiofer, Houston’s Kingston Flemings, Iowa State’s Joshua Jefferson and Illinois’ Keaton Wagler.
With two first-team All-American honors earlier this week, Smith is officially the fourth two-time, first-team All-American in Purdue history, joining Terry Dischinger, Rick Mount and Zach Edey on the list.
Smith, a first-team All-Big Ten selection, the Big Ten Tournament MVP and last year’s Cousy Award winner as the nation’s top point guard, is having another outstanding season. He is averaging 14.0 points, 9.1 assists and 3.6 rebounds per game, leading the country and setting the Big Ten single-season record with 317 assists. He is the first high-major player to average at least 14.0 points, 9.0 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game since LSU’s Randy Livingston in 1995.
He is one of two players in NCAA history to have at least 300 assists in two different seasons (Southern’s Avery Johnson; 1987 and 1988) and is the only player in NCAA history to have three seasons of at least 450 points, 250 assists and 125 rebounds.
Smith is just two assists away from becoming the NCAA’s all-time leader in career assists. Entering the NCAA Tournament with 1,075 career assists, Smith is about to surpass Duke legend Bobby Hurley, who holds the record with 1,076.
Smith is the only player in NCAA history to have at least 1,500 points, 1,000 assists and 500 career rebounds, currently with 1,865 points, 1,075 assists and 661 rebounds.
The Boilermakers will battle Queens University in the NCAA Tournament first-round game on Friday in St. Louis, Missouri, tipping at 7:35 p.m. ET / 6:35 p.m. CT.