Purdue basketball’s expectations for the 2025-26 season just got that much higher as Braden Smith announced that he will return for his senior season in West Lafayette, opting to not test the NBA Draft waters.

With Smith returning Purdue gets the likely frontrunner for National Player of the Year. He was already Big Ten Player of the Year, an All-American, the Bob Cousy Award winner, and a finalist for National Player of the Year. Now he gets one last go-round with fellow seniors Trey Kaufman-Renn and Fletcher Loyer. Combined with returning starter CJ Cox Purdue will return four of its five starters, and it has a fifth ready-made in Daniel Jacobsen or Oscar Cluff in the middle.

Smith also needs 318 assists in 2025-26 to tie the NCAA all-time assists mark of 1,076, set by Bobby Hurley. He is almost certain to become just hte fifth player in Division I history to reach 1,000 career assists.

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