Braden Smith talks improvement and the season ahead

The second round pick talked to media at the Pacers charity softball game

Braden Smith | Pacers Sports and Entertainment

By now, Braden Smith is probably a little tired of being asked about playing in Indiana. He's excited, and it's a dream come true. This much we know. On Monday night, however, Smith had the opportunity to answer a wider range of questions.

Monday evening was the Pacers and Colts charity softball event at Victory Field, and Braden Smith was part of the fun. He and Jay Huff were the first players on the blue team to come out on the field and start warming up. Smith then had some media availability, and answered a lot of questions about the summer, upcoming season, and more.

Braden Smith ahead of tonight’s softball game. Contract, Noblesville, summer league, and more: pic.twitter.com/Qg2JpamaNJ

— Tyler Smith (@TylerSmith_ISL) August 24, 2026

On officially signing his contract- "Through the whole process, I knew it was going to end up from what they already said. It's a contract and doesn't really need to be signed until November-ish. So for me, stay with it, get better, and that's the main focus."

On the two-way situation of the contract: "Being in Noblesville is going to be awesome. I'm super excited. Whether that's there or downtown playing with the Pacers, it's an awesome opportunity. There's nothing else you want more than to be here. If that's a two-way, if that's a standard, whatever the case is, it's what I'm most excited about."

On his summer league play- "I've got to be better. I'm my hardest critic about it. Being able to digest it, understand it, see what went wrong, what went well, I had a lot of good feedback from the guys and the coaching staff. And I think I've come a long way so far. So for me, it's just applying that and then doing it with those guys in practice."

Braden Smith showed out for the Pacers Foundation Charity Softball Game last night 🔥 pic.twitter.com/pE9SnxaLaQ

— Noblesville Boom (@noblesvilleboom) August 25, 2026

On what he's working on in the off-season- "Gaining weight. Gaining muscle. Working on a consistent jump shot. And just playing hard defense. My passing ability, I think, is one of the best. I'm able to get guys shots. So defensively, just learning the techniques. So I've been with TJ and Ty just asking questions. In college, it's different. In the NBA, you can be more physical. That's what I learned in the summer league. I was letting guys come off screens too easily. It's just a lot of little things like that, that I've picked up and asked questions about."

On his defense and overall improvement: "Guarding Tyrese and guarding Drew, guarding those guys is going to help me. I feel like the shots are going to fall. Learning defensively, that's gonna keep me on the court. To have that impact that TJ has, and Brunson, and other small guards."

On his jumper: "Working on my legs and my follow through. I'm chipping away at it. That's something people don't realize. Working on your jumper, it's an everyday thing, all your career. It's something you've got to work at. I'm a 45% shooter for a lot of my life except for senior year and in the summer. For me, keep going and keep working at it."

This shouldn't come as a surprise, but it sounds like Braden Smith has a clear understanding of the work he needs to put in, and what lies ahead. He will most likely see a lot of time in Noblesville to work on his game, while staying ready if and when an opportunity arises with the Pacers. One thing is clear: he's got one of the best point-guard rooms and coaching staffs in the world to learn from.