Michigan Assistant Coach Compares Purdue's Braden Smith to Steph Curry
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Just when you thought the praise of Purdue guard Braden Smith couldn't get any higher, Michigan assistant coach Mike Boynton gave him the ultimate compliment.
According to Matt Norlander of CBS Sports, Boynton says Smith is the second-best point guard he's ever had to coach against. The only one better? Former Davidson guard and current Golden State Warriors superstar Steph Curry.
"Braden Smith is the best point guard I've ever coached against not named Steph Curry," Boynton told Norlander.
Boynton then texted a list of point guards he's had to coach against, which included John Wall (Kentucky), Jalen Brunson (Villanova), Trae Young (Oklahoma), Tyrese Haliburton (Iowa State) and Jeff Teague (Wake Forest). The Michigan assistant said Smith is better than all of those names.
Michigan assistant coach Mike Boynton told @MattNorlander that Braden Smith is the best point guard he’s ever coached against not named Steph Curry. pic.twitter.com/lSJ3haejbh
— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) February 13, 2025
This comparison comes shortly after Smith dropped 24 points, grabbed six rebounds and dished out five assists against the Wolverines on Tuesday. Michigan defeated Purdue 75-73 in Ann Arbor, but had trouble containing the point guard.
In the first meeting between the two teams in West Lafayette in January, Smith was highly effective. He ended the game with a double-double of 24 points and 10 assists. The junior guard was also responsible for seven rebounds and four steals in that contest.
The Boilermakers defeated the Wolverines 91-64 in that outing.
Even though Smith was named the Preseason Big Ten Player of the Year, it's probably fair to say he's playing better than expected this season. The junior guard is averaging 16.4 points, 8.6 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game. He has the Boilermakers in position to win a third straight Big Ten regular season title — the trophy he's most concerned about right now.
As a result, Smith has found himself as a top-10 finalist for the Bob Cousy Award and is among 20 players on the midseason watch list for the John Wooden Award.
Boynton has coached a lot of basketball in his life. Over the last 20 years, he's had stops at Furman, Coastal Carolina, Wofford, South Carolina, Stephen F. Austin as an assistant coach. He was the head coach at Oklahoma State from 2017-24. He's seen a lot of great players in college basketball.
Putting Smith in the same conversation with Curry is one hell of a compliment to the Purdue guard.
Related stories on Purdue basketball
SMITH TOP-5 SELLER AT NIL STORE: Purdue was among the top-three schools and Braden Smith was among the top-five male athletes in sales for the month of January at the NIL Store. CLICK HERE
SMITH ON WOODEN WATCH LIST: Braden Smith is among 20 players named to the midseason watch list for the 2025 Wooden Award. The Purdue guard averages 16.4 points and 8.6 assists per game. CLICK HERE
KAUFMAN-RENN TAKES ACCOUNTABILITY: Trey Kaufman-Renn may have had a big night for the Boilermakers, but he was only thinking about the mistakes made in Purdue's 75-73 loss to Michigan. CLICK HERE
MAY PRAISES SMITH: Michigan coach Dusty May had nothing but positive things to say about the play of Purdue guard Braden Smith, who scored 24 points on Tuesday night. CLICK HERE
Dustin Schutte is the publisher of Purdue Boilermakers on SI and has spent more than a decade working in sports journalism. His career began in 2013, when he covered Big Ten football. He remained in that role for eight years before working at On SI to cover the Boilermakers. Dustin graduated from Manchester University in Indiana in 2010, where he played for the men's tennis team.
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