On Thursday, Westfield High School and Grand Park Premier point guard Braden Smith (2022) verbally committed to Purdue University. The Boilermakers offered Smith after his strong showing at the Midwest Mania over the weekend.

 

Smith attracted attention from low and mid-major schools throughout his sophomore and junior seasons. He racked up offers from IUPUI, Toledo, Montana, Belmont, and Appalachian State before Purdue extended a scholarship.

 

Indiana, Gonzaga, and Oregon were among the high-major schools that showed an early interest in Smith but did not offer him a scholarship before he committed to Purdue.

 

Smith is putting together a storied career at Westfield. Through three seasons, he scored more than 1,200 career points. The backbone of that production is his shooting. Smith is a career 43 percent three-point shooter and 84 percent from the free-throw line. For the Shamrocks, he is also the primary creator for others. Smith averaged 6.2 assists per game this high school season.

 

It is easy to imagine Smith filling a Dakota Mathias or P.J. Thompson role for Purdue. He will get the Boilers into an offense, make outside shots, and move the ball. In Purdue’s offensive system, the ball will not be sticking with Smith. He will find open teammates and deliver them the ball at the right time.

 

Smith’s Grand Park Premier-UA Rise 2022 team will be in action at this weekend’s Bill Hensley Memorial Run ‘N Slam. They are in a pool with Howard Pulley, Beyond Ball, and the Illinois Hoopstars.

 

Smith joins Homestead’s Fletcher Loyer in Purdue’s 2022 class. The Boilers had Jameel Brown committed, but he backed out once Micah Shrewsberry took the Penn State head coaching position.