Braden Smith is more than local star with Pacers: 'I'm here to play basketball'

INDIANAPOLIS — Three picks into the second round of the 2026 NBA Draft, Westfield grad and former Purdue star Braden Smith knew he wouldn’t get past the Chicago Bulls at pick 38, but his final destination was still up in the air.

It came down to three teams, and about one minute before the world found out he was selected by the Bulls, he learned he was going back home to Indiana in a trade that sent his draft rights to the Pacers.

“It was awesome,” Smith said when he learned he was getting traded to the Pacers. “Just being home, around my family, my friends. I went to school an hour from here. … I have a younger brother (at Westfield), being close to him and being able to help him out in his next four years of high school and obviously be a part of an organization similar to how Purdue is.

“Great culture, great community, great people in the organization, great players. So, for me I’m coming from one great organization to another one.”

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Smith credits Purdue coach Matt Painter with helping him develop his approach to the game on and off the court. It was Painter and his staff who gave Smith his only opportunity to play in the Big Ten, grooming him into a four-year starter and one of the most decorated players in school history. Smith will forever be a legend at Mackey Arena, but as he enters the next stage of his career, he’s ready to show what he can do as a pro.

Smith is on a two-way contract with the Pacers meaning he can move from the Pacers to their G League team, the Noblesville Boom, without being exposed to waivers. Playing in Noblesville will bring him even closer to his hometown, but he has no plans on just being a local favorite.

“I’m here to play basketball,” Smith said. “I worked for it and I’ve proven at each stage that I can do it. If that’s at Noblesville, it’s at Noblesville and I’m going to do that. And I’d do the same thing if I were (with the Pacers).

“For me, it’s to go out on the floor and make an impact every night, and to win basketball games. It’s what I’ve done the last four (years), and it’s what I’m going to keep doing.”

As Smith prepares to suit up for the Pacers Summer League team starting Friday in Las Vegas, he wants to show he can play with pace and be a leader on the floor. With his combination of court vision and basketball IQ, the Pacers’ up-tempo style fits the play style of the NCAA Division I all-time assists leader perfectly.

“The Pacers are one of the fastest teams in the NBA historically,” Pacers summer league coach Johnny Carpenter said. “We’re talking about a team that is Top 2 in pace. We’re talking about Indiana, the racing capital of the world. So, our mentality is speed kills, and that’s the mentality that Braden, Yuki (Kawamura), a lot of the guards have adopted.

“A lot of the guards and the bigs are able to get down the court with pace and kick-ahead passes, so that’s been fun to see.”

Smith said communicating with his NBA teammates is still a surreal experience. He went through Friday’s practice in a pair of Tyrese Haliburton‘s bright yellow Puma signature shoes gifted to him by the two-time All-Star. Haliburton is the top attraction on the Pacers and Smith will team with 2025 draft pick Taelon Porter as key contributors for the Summer League squad.

At 5-foot-10, 167 pounds, Smith knows he’ll have to answer questions about his ability to play defense against NBA guards. He’s looked to Pacers guard T.J. McConnell for tips on how to play effective defense at a less-than-ideal stature.

Footwear choice aside, Smith knows his best chance at a long NBA career will require him playing a role more similar to McConnell than Haliburton.

“(McConnell) has played for a long time, the experience, that’s huge,” Smith said. “For me, it’s just learning different situations and seeing different things. … I haven’t really gotten to talk to him face-to-face, but once I do, just trying to pick his brain defensively. How he’s able to impact the game on the defensive side?

“My four years (at Purdue) I haven’t really needed to do that. … To have a career in the NBA you have to figure out how to do that. That’s the biggest thing and I’m excited to learn from him.”

Dustin Dopirak covers the Pacers all season. Get more coverage on IndyStarTV and with the Pacers Insider newsletter.