Boilermakers Country

Purdue's Braden Smith Finalist For NIL Store's Highest Earning Male Athlete

Purdue guard Braden Smith is one of five finalists for the NIL Store's Highest Earning Male Athlete for 2025. He was the Big Ten Player of the Year as a junior.
Dustin Schutte|
Purdue Boilermakers guard Braden Smith (3) reacts
Purdue Boilermakers guard Braden Smith (3) reacts | Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In this story:

Purdue Boilermakers

Purdue guard Braden Smith is one of the most popular male athletes at the NIL Store. The rising senior was one of five finalists for the company's Highest Earning Male Athlete award for 2025.

Smith is a finalist, along with two other men's basketball players, Cooper Flagg (Duke) and Dylan Harper (Rutgers), and two football players, Ashton Jeanty (Boise State) and Cam Skattebo (Arizona State).

The Purdue star enjoyed a phenomenal junior season in West Lafayette. He averaged 15.8 points, 8.7 assists, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.2 steals per game last season. The Boilermakers finished the year with a 24-12 record and earned a trip to the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Tournament.

Smith has also joined Purdue's 1,000-point club and exceeded 500 career rebounds. He currently sits at 758 career assists, setting a new program record.

Smith was rewarded with plenty of accolades at the end of his junior season. He was the Big Ten Player of the Year and named the winner of the Bob Cousy Award, presented to the best point guard in college basketball. He was a finalist for National Player of the Year and earned first-team All-Big Ten and All-American honors.

Now, Smith has a chance to be the Highest Earning Male Athlete of 2025 at the NIL Store.

Related stories on Purdue basketball

HOW TO WATCH OMER MAYER IN FIBA WORLD CUP: Incoming Purdue guard Omer Mayer is competing with Israel's U19 team in the 2025 FIBA World Cup in Switzerland. Here's how you can catch the Boiler in action. CLICK HERE

WATCH DANIEL JACOBSEN IN FIBA WORLD CUP: Purdue center Daniel Jacobsen earned a spot with USA Basketball on the U19 Men's National Team. Here's how you can watch him in the 2025 FIBA U19 World Cup. CLICK HERE

BOILER BANTER PODCAST: Dustin Schutte provides a fun story about covering Purdue sports, gives updates on some of the latest Boilermaker basketball recruiting news, and talks about his fandom of the Indiana Pacers. CLICK HERE

Published
Dustin Schutte
DUSTIN SCHUTTE

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.

Share on XFollow SchutteDustin
Home/Basketball