What Braden Smith proved in his first NBA start

At a Pacers meet and greet with season ticket holders last week, Braden Smith was asked what the biggest adjustment to going from college to the pros was.

Smith responded, “Just not getting to play.”

Little did Smith know, that merely a week later he’d have the biggest opportunity of his young NBA career.

Braden Smith gets his first start in the NBA against the Atlanta Hawks🔥 pic.twitter.com/zI6dskSPJD
— Alex Golden (@AlexGoldenNBA) November 3, 2026

After getting traded to the Indiana Pacers on the second night of the NBA Draft, the reactions from the fan base were divided.

The early criticisms of the acquisition were that Smith was too small to have success in the NBA, and that he was only acquired to sell tickets for the Noblesville Boom thanks to his prior relationship with general manager Chad Buchanan.

On Monday evening in his first NBA start, he proved those doubters wrong.

In a gutsy performance, the rookie point guard faced some of the best perimeter defenders in the league in Dyson Daniels and Lu Dort. After his first possession where Daniels stole the ball and missed a fast-break layup, he settled down and played terrific. He scored 19 points on 8-13 shooting, had 10 assists, 4 rebounds and 3 steals. His 10 assists generated 25 points, but he also had 22 potential assists throughout the game, showcasing his elite playmaking abilities.

Because the Pacers were without 11 players, he had to play 42 minutes, exhausting himself on both ends of the floor. Coach Carlisle had nothing but praise for Smith postgame.

“Braden Smith was tremendous,” Carlisle said. “(He) showed the kind of competitor that he is and has demonstrated over the last several years at Purdue.”

Carlisle praised the amount of work Smith has put into keeping his body in elite shape, and recalled their pre-training camp conditioning drill where Smith outlasted everybody on the team by a significant amount.

“This guy played 42 minutes in an NBA game and he was prepared for this opportunity because of all the work he put in this summer,” Carlisle said. “It just goes to show you that putting in that type of work will bear fruit. It was inspiring to watch him battle tonight.”

But it wasn’t just the offense and the conditioning that stood out to Carlisle in regard to Smith, his defense was solid in the 4-point loss too.

“I thought defensively he did a great job,” Carlisle said. “19 and 10, that’s a double-double in the NBA. That’s big time.”

Smith said that getting this opportunity was like being a kid in a candy store. Going up against some of the best defenders the NBA has to offer was a fun challenge for the rookie and he enjoyed the opportunity.

“They’re obviously unbelievable defenders, and for me to go through that was a challenge,” Smith said. “They’re tough and great players and for me it was just fun to be out there.”

After being the top-dog on his team at Purdue and in college, adjusting to a smaller role in the NBA was a humbling but needed experience for Smith.

"You gotta learn that you don't go to a job and you're perfect right away. You don't get the top job right away, and a lot of people will think that and that's just not how the world works," Smith said. "You're supposed to learn and I think that was the best thing for me. I thought in college I was at the top for a very long time, doing it at a very high level, and honestly I needed that. I needed get back down here and work my way back up."

It was encouraging to hear Smith share those sentiments about his young NBA journey. For fans who were discouraged by his play in the Summer League, Smith explained the difference between playing in Las Vegas and what he experienced Monday night against the Hawks.

"It's different games. It's hack-a-Shaq over here in Summer League, and there's actual basketball over here," Smith said. "Completely different games and different styles of basketball. For me, it was just nice to be out there and do that.

While this might be the only extended minutes we see Smith play all season, what he showed tonight should give Pacers fans hope for the future. He proved that running point guard is an elite skill and he can handle the pressures of doing it.

With a full season developing in Noblesville, you can see the vision the front office and coaching staff has of him becoming a potential McConnell replacement. He plays hard, has the humility and confidence in his ability, and understands the importance of playing at a high-compete level.

The local kid from Westfield, Indiana, continues to write his incredible basketball story.

You can follow me on X @AlexGoldenNBA and listen to my daily podcast, Setting The Pace, wherever you get your podcasts.

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