Purdue Guard Braden Smith Named Finalist for 2025 Bob Cousy Award

Purdue guard Braden Smith is one of five finalists for the Bob Cousy Award, presented to the best point guard in college basketball.

Purdue Boilermakers guard Braden Smith (3) celebrates a basket | Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue guard Braden Smith is among five finalists for the 2025 Bob Cousy Award, presented to the best point guard in college basketball. The list of finalists was released by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Monday.

Smith is having an outstanding junior campaign in West Lafayette, averaging 16.0 points, 8.7 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 2.4 steals per game. He's also shooting 44.6% from the floor and 39.5% from 3-point range.

In Purdue's 76-66 win over UCLA on Friday, Smith became the program's all-time leader in assists, passing Bruce Parkinson who accounted for 690 assists in his career. With eight assists on Friday, Smith is now at 696 and counting.

Additionally, Smith hit two other career milestones this season. He became a member of Purdue's 1,000-point club and has also collected more than 500 rebounds in his three seasons with the Boilermakers.

Purdue is 20-9 on the season with a 12-6 mark in Big Ten play. The Boilers have two games remaining in the regular season leading up to the Big Ten Tournament and NCAA Tournament.

"The annual Bob Cousy Award, named after the Class of 1971 Hall of Famer and former Boston Celtic and Holy Cross guard, celebrates its 22nd year by highlighting the top point guard in Division I men’s college basketball," the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame website reads.

The other four finalists for the 2025 Bob Cousy Award are Mark Sears (Alabama), Walter Clayton Jr. (Florida), Kam Jones (Marquette) and Zakai Zeigler (Tennessee).

Fan voting for the award begins on Friday, March 7 and will count as one committee vote during the selection process.

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