As the 2026 NBA Draft unfolded on June 24–25, two Purdue Boilermakers heard their names called. Surrounded by friends and family, Braden Smith and Trey Kaufman-Renn’s dreams of playing in the National Basketball Association were realized.
The All-Time NCAA Assist Leader Stays Home
One of the greatest point guards in college basketball history will begin his NBA career in his own backyard.
When the Chicago Bulls selected Braden Smith with the 38th overall pick, the “Assist King” heard his name called, fulfilling a dream he and many other kids growing up in Indiana have of playing in the NBA. Within moments, the Indiana Pacers agreed to trade for Smith, keeping the Westfield native in his home state.
For Smith and the Pacers, this wasn’t a surprise move. The organization’s front office, with deep ties to Westfield and the Smith family, entered the draft with zero picks, but had spent the offseason making calculated efforts to move into the second round. The target was always clear, though: Braden Smith was their guy.
The Pacers sent guard Kam Jones and other assets to the Chicago Bulls to acquire Smith and the No. 38 pick. This signals a significant investment in the Purdue guard and is a sign they believe in his ability to succeed in the NBA.
After moving to Westfield, Indiana at the age of 4, the community helped shape Smith into the basketball player and person he is today. He sits as Westfield’s all-time leader in points (1,629) and assists (453) and led the Shamrocks to their first sectional title in 105 years, earning Indiana Mr. Basketball honors.
At just 5-foot-10.25 (without shoes) and 166 pounds, Smith overcame size concerns his entire career. In fact, he became the first player to be drafted in the first round under 6 feet tall since 2013. Anyone who has watched him play, though, knows that his size does not stop him from taking over games, which speaks volumes about his heart and determination.
During his final season at Purdue, Smith led the Boilermakers to the Big Ten Tournament title, earning MVP honors. He was also named the 2024–25 Big Ten Player of the Year during his junior season. He shot 38.5% from three-point range, which is rare for a guard of his stature.
The comparison that followed him throughout the draft process was unmistakable: “He is the next TJ McConnell.” And now, Smith will learn from McConnell himself. The 34-year-old Pacers guard has only two more years on his contract, making this the perfect mantle-passing moment.
Smith is no stranger to Gainbridge Fieldhouse, either. In eight career games there, he has averaged 12.5 points per game, 6.5 rebounds per game, and 6.0 assists per game. Some of his top performances include a 26-point effort against No. 1 Arizona in 2023 and an 11-point, 14-assist performance against Auburn in 2025. That familiarity with the arena and the city will serve him well as he transitions to the professional level.
Pacers fans who don’t know much about Smith’s game will love him instantly. He is an Indiana kid who will embrace the blue-collar style of play that the fanbase loves to rally behind. And with the Pacers' need for a true point guard behind star Tyrese Haliburton, who is coming off a torn Achilles, Smith will have the opportunity to begin that journey in his home state.
Trey Kaufman-Renn: Hungry as a Wolf
The second Purdue player was selected 21 picks after Smith when the Minnesota Timberwolves called Trey Kaufman-Renn’s name at No. 59.
Kaufman-Renn, from Sellersburg, Indiana, attended Silver Creek High School, where he became the school’s all-time leading scorer with 1,832 points. He led Silver Creek to 2019 and 2021 Class 3A state titles and was named the Gatorade Player of the Year in Indiana as a junior, a season in which the Dragons were 25-2 and ranked No. 1 before the pandemic cut the season short.
At Purdue, Kaufman-Renn earned first-team All-Big Ten honors as a junior. He then underwent a unique positional evolution, moving from center to forward for his senior season and emerging as a top-shelf rebounder who averaged 8.3 boards per game and developed into a versatile inside-out offensive player. He scored 14.2 points per game on 57.8% field goal shooting and left his mark on Purdue University with a buzzer-beating tip-in to lift the Boilermakers past Texas into the Elite Eight.
The Timberwolves’ roster situation just shifted significantly, as they made a blockbuster trade for LaMelo Ball and Josh Green by giving up forward Naz Reid and multiple future first and second round draft picks to the Charlotte Hornets. Minnesota also recently traded star forward Julius Randle away to the Brooklyn Nets, creating even more of an opportunity for the Sellersburg sensation to carve out a contributing role with the franchise. With Rudy Gobert anchoring the paint and Jaden McDaniels at forward, Kaufman-Renn will have a chance to carve out his role in Minnesota’s new-look frontcourt.
Before the draft, Kaufman-Renn earned notice at the Portsmouth Invitational and later at the G League Combine in Chicago, where he ultimately earned a spot at the NBA Draft Combine. Although an ankle injury kept him from competing in the NBA Draft Combine, his college production, mentality, and his hunger and demeanor to succeed speak for themselves.
The Hard Way
The Purdue basketball story in the 2026 draft cycle doesn’t end with just two draft picks, though. While Fletcher Loyer and Oscar Cluff went unselected, they still found opportunities for a chance to make an NBA roster.
Loyer agreed to an Exhibit 10 deal with the LA Clippers, giving the sharpshooting wing a chance to compete in the NBA Summer League and potentially earn a two-way contract. Loyer, who shot effectively throughout his Purdue career, will use the Summer League as his audition with one of the NBA’s most competitive franchises. While his path to playing in the NBA will be tough, there is no other way a Boilermaker would want it.
Cluff, the Australian big man who started all 39 games as a senior for Purdue, will play for the Houston Rockets in the 2026 NBA Summer League. The versatile center averaged 10.6 points per game on an impressive 68.3% field goal percentage, along with 7.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game during his final season of college basketball. The Summer League will give Cluff a chance to showcase his skills and potentially earn a path to an NBA roster spot or a two-way contract.
Connected Through Purdue, Rooted in Indiana
For Smith, Loyer, and Kaufman-Renn, the values of the Hoosier State are what will help carry them to success in their professional careers, whatever that may look like. Whether it’s Westfield, Fort Wayne, or Sellersburg, these men will forever be grateful for the time spent, memories made, and the qualities that make them who they are today, which their respective hometowns all played a crucial part in. Regardless of how their professional careers play out, fans will never forget the time they spent together in West Lafayette.