Can Braden Smith give Purdue basketball three straight Naismith Trophy award winners?
WEST LAFAYETTE — The Big Ten's best player is also one of the nation's top hoopers.
Purdue basketball junior point guard Braden Smith is one of four finalists for the Naismith Trophy, awarded to the top player in college basketball.
Smith is attempting to be Purdue's third straight Naismith Trophy winner after former Boilermaker center Zach Edey won it in each of the past two seasons. Purdue's Glenn Robinson won in 1994.
Smith, joined as a finalist by Auburn's Johni Broome, Duke's Cooper Flagg and Florida's Walter Clayton Jr., is a consensus first-team All-American. He's averaging 16 points, 8.5 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 2.2 steals heading into the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16.
Smith was named Big Ten Player of the Year after a season where he became the only player other than Magic Johnson (Michigan State) in league history to record 450 points, 250 assists, 125 rebounds and 60 steals in a single season. Smith has accomplished it in each of the past two years and also broke Purdue's career record for assists while also breaking his own mark for assists in a single season.
Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at sking@jconline.com and follow him on X and Instagram @samueltking.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Purdue basketball's Braden Smith a finalist for National Player of Year
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