Best passer of all time? Braden Smith, the genius who broke NCAA records

braeden smithPurdue University’s starting point guard, has become the most fascinating figure in American college basketball. Despite being a “short” player by today’s standards, barely reaching 1.83 meters in height, his ability to read the game allowed him to dominate the competition from his base position. smith Not only is he a driving force behind one of the best teams in the country, he’s leading a statistical career not seen since the 1999 era. jason kidd 30 years ago.

what makes it special smith It’s his almost miraculous passing ability. His former teammate and current NBA player, Zack Eadiesays smith He has a unique vision to find pinpoint passing “windows” that other players cannot see. This season, smith He leads all of NCAA Division I with an average of 9.6 assists per game and organizes the offense. Purdue It’s like being the conductor of an orchestra. His effectiveness is such that he manages an assist rate of 44.1%, the highest number in all of college basketball.

attack on history books

influence of braeden smith It is already reflected in the record books. He recently surpassed his own record of 890 assists, becoming the Big Ten Conference’s all-time leader in assists. Cassius Winston. But his ambitions go far beyond regional records.

smith The absolute assist record in history is within reach. NCAAthe Duke legend’s record of 1,076 basketball passes; bobby hurleyin 1993. If you maintain your current pace, Purdue By advancing to the postseason tournament, the point guard is in position to surpass numbers he hasn’t reached in 32 years. Additionally, if he stays healthy, he is destined to become the first player in college basketball history to simultaneously achieve 1,500 points, 1,000 assists, and 500 rebounds in a career.

From being ignored to being an absolute elite

The most surprising thing about his story is that when he graduated from high school, smith He wasn’t even in the top 150 of his generation. Many analysts thought he was too small or lacked the athleticism to be an elite player, but Purdue’s coach said: matte painteralways saw in him a natural “winner”. today, smith He is the favorite to win the trophy. wooden Awarded to the player of the year Bob Cousy To become the best point guard in the country.

For Spanish viewers who don’t know him yet, smith He is an “old school” player. His defense is fierce, his three-point shooting is deadly (nearly 40% success rate), and he’s a master of the pick-and-roll. The immediate future indicates that NBAAnalysts predict he could be a second-round pick and become a court general who could revolutionize any professional bench thanks to his intelligence and mental processing speed. His big dream is not a personal record; Purdue First national championship in history.