Purdue point guard Braden Smith talks career assists record, one last March Madness run

Purdue point guard Braden Smith does not have a preference for how the record will be broken. 

It could be an alley-oop. A chest pass for a jumper. A bounce pass in the lane. Smith – who is partnered with Great Clips ahead of the 2026 NCAA Tournament –  is one assist away from tying the career assists record heading into the matchup between No. 2 Purdue and No. 15 Queens on Friday. He does not require a story-book ending for the record. 

"I just see it like an assist is an assist," Smith told The Sporting News. "I just want it to happen, and I can kind of push it behind and just focus on winning the basketball game." 

Smith helped the Boilermakers win the Big Ten tournament championship in an incredible four-day run last week. The senior point guard totaled 46 assists and just 10 turnovers in four games. He had 14 points, 11 assists, five rebounds, three steals – and no turnovers – in a 80-72 victory against Michigan in the Big Ten tournament championship on Sunday. 

Smith has one more tournament run – which will start with a record-setting performance, perhaps in the first half. Smith spoke with SN about the assists records, Purdue's tournament chances and his partnership with Great Clips ahead of the 2026 NCAA Tournament. 

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Braden Smith set to break career assists record

Smith has 1,075 career assists – one short of the record set by Bobby Duke's Bobby Hurley. Smith is one of five players with more than 1,000 career assists – and he is on track to break the record against Queens on Friday. 

"It definitely means a lot," Smith said. "Just being able to accomplish something like that doesn't only say a lot about me, but says a lot about my teammates and obviously the coaching staff who put a lot of trust in me early on – which, obviously, you don't see a lot." 

College players with 1,000 assists

Smith started in 145 games for the Boilermakers – a streak that started when he was a freshman in 2022-23.  That was a season in which Smith said Purdue coach Matt Painter helped with the learning curve in a season in which Smith averaged 4.4 assists per game. 

"I had a lot of failures – a lot of times where I like, 'Gotta be better,'" Smith said. "(Painter) could have went another way – a different direction for me – but he stuck with me. I think that goes a long way." 

Smith led the Big Ten with 7.5 assists per game as a sophomore and 8.7 assists per game as a junior. This year,  Purdue assistant coach P.J. Thompson took control of the team's offense – a move Smith has described as "life-changing." Smith averaged a career-high 9.1 assists per game – and piling up those opportunities is its own reward. 

"That's my job as a point guard," Smith said. "That's what I'm supposed to do. If you don't do your job, then you'll be seen differently. For me, that's how I see it. It's a job, and I gotta put people in positions to be successful, and that's what I do at an elite level." 

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Braden Smith on Purdue's tournament outlook 

Michigan and Purdue were tied at halftime of the Big Ten tournament championship Sunday. In the locker room, Smith ripped his jersey in frustration and he was forced to switch from his No. 3 to No. 41 – which did not have a name on the back. From there, Smith helped the Boilermakers to their second Big Ten tournament championship in three seasons. 

"I'm not trying to make it like – 'When I switched jerseys' – but that is kind of when it switched for me," Smith said. "I felt like it was early on when I got that switch and I had that iso vs. Morez Johnson and I hit that pull-up right kind of in the slot area. 

"I felt right there just an energy change with me," he said. "From there, I was just kind of controlling the game and taking it from there." 

Smith scored over 7-foot-3 center Aday Mara and drew a foul with 12:06 remaining – and the three-point play extended Purdue's lead to 57-46. The Boilermakers finished with 21 assists and two turnovers with Smith conducting the offense. 

"I think we just got a lot of smart guys on our team, to be honest," Smith said. "A lot of guys that understand angles, understand body positioning, understand, you know, just the right times to drive and when not to." 

Smith, Trey Kaufman-Renn and Fletcher Loyer are four-year seniors for Purdue who have seen all aspects of March Madness. 

The Boilermakers lost to No. 16-seed FDU in 2023 then advanced to the national championship game against No. 1 UConn 2024. Purdue made the Sweet 16 last season. 

"We lost to a (No.) 16 seed one year, which is the lowest of the low," Smith said. "Then, we've made it to the national championship, which is the highest of the high. Obviously, we didn't win, but made it there and obviously want to change that. … We've been through it all, and I think having an older group – and we have some younger guys, too – but having an older group makes it easier." 

Smith said the intensity picked up in the Big Ten tournament opener against Northwestern – a feeling that should carry over into the Fridqy matchup against Queens. 

"We have to have that understanding going into March," Smith said. "It's that, OK, well, this first game, like, put everything aside, just go out there and play hard and throw that first punch.'" 

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Braden Smith partners with Great Clips 

Great Clips commercials have become part of the March Madness experience, which is part of the reason Smith partnered with the brand. Smith is prompting Great Clips' $12.99 coupon offer – which runs March 18 to April 3 – along with UConn guard Alex Karaban and UCLA guard Gabriela Jacquez. Smith will be featured in a commercial that features commentary from Ian Eagle.

"I think being a part of something like that, especially during a time where everybody's watching – everybody's tuned in – it's kind of like a Super Bowl commercial. You get excited for it – like, 'Oh, what's next? What's gonna happen?'" Smith said. "I think that's kind of what's going on here. … Being a part of something like this – and obviously it's March. It's 2-in-1 right there." 

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