Purdue vs. Michigan State Could Feature NBA Draft’s Best Two Passers

On Thursday night, No. 8 Purdue vs. No. 13 Michigan State marks the premier game not just in college basketball, but in the NBA Draft space too.

NBA teams in search of veteran handlers than can immediately infuse floor-general-like tendencies will certainly be keeping an eye on this one, as Braden Smith and Jeremy Fears Jr. are among the two best passer-playmakers in college basketball.

To this point, both likely have second-round stock, matching up eerily similarly statistically.

Smith has long led Purdue. He stands at 6-foot, and has a settling presence with the ball in-hand, able to expertly read the floor and process the right play more often than not. Additionally, he’s a keen mover off the ball, even shooting 41% from three on four tries per game.

On the season, Smith is averaging 14.9 points, 8.7 assists and 1.9 steals per game while shooting 48% overall.

In honor of Purdue guard Braden Smith potentially becoming the Big Ten’s all-time leading passer tonight, here’s a few minutes of him doing his thing: pic.twitter.com/bbZqkAohZz
— Derek Parker (@DParkOK) January 3, 2026

Fears is one year his junior, and has the Spartans in similarly successful position ahead of March. He’s taller at 6-foot-2, and is averaging 15.0 points, a country-best 9.2 assists and 1.3 steals per game. He’s less efficient overall, shooting 43% from the floor and just 29% from three on three attempts per game.

Jeremy Fears Jr. is on an absurd tear recently and he basically dragged Michigan State back into the game against Michigan

that level of offensive guard production, achieved in spite of his own (49.5% efg) and MSU's poor shooting, looks almost illegal, but Fears' ability to be a… pic.twitter.com/8j94jmpDCi
— Sheed on the Hawks (@SheedinATL) January 31, 2026

Smith is second in the nation in assists per game, second only to Fears.

Tonight’s bout will give NBA decision-makers a look at their potency on floor. Right now, Smith’s case is more clear cut given he can shoot the ball better from deep. But Fears better height and ability to get to the free throw line could be skills better suited to a ball dominant guard, especially at the NBA level.

Given the present NIL landscape, it's not a given that Fears will enter and stay in this NBA Draft cycle, but it's hard to see a team not willing to gamble on his combination of offensive skills should he enter. That would likely be in the late second-round, though he could find a perfect fit among those teams.

Fears' brother Jeremiah Fears was taken No. 7 overall at the 2025 NBA Draft by the Pelicans, and is amid a hot start to his NBA career.

After four illustrious seasons with the Boilermakers, Smith will look to the draft to find his next home. He's likely being eyed in the mid-to-late second-round, though it wouldn't be shocking to see a team reach on him given his level of handling, passing and shooting is seldom seen, even among upperclassmen.

Purdue vs. Michigan State, tipping off at 7 p.m. CT tonight, will have implications within the Big Ten and college basketball as a whole.