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Braden Smith became the NCAA assists record over four seasons with Purdue basketball. The 2022 Indiana Mr. Basketball from Westfield High School finished his Boilermakers career with 1,932 points, 1,103 assists, 673 rebounds and 249 steals, and he was a consensus All-American his final two seasons.
That's too much production for the NBA to ignore, right?
Smith's height — or lack of it — works against him. NBA teams don't often spend draft picks on players listed at 6-foot, and he was measured at 5-10 1/4 at the NBA Combine.
Final NBA mock drafts see Smith as a solid second-round pick. Another likely second-round pick is Pike High School alum Ryan Conwell. Other possibilities include Purdue's Trey Kaufman-Renn and Butler's Michael Ajayi.
Will the Pacers get involved?: Indiana free agency targets, trade rumors and top targets
"Smith left Purdue as the NCAA's all-time assists leader, breaking a 33-year-old record. He's arguably the highest-IQ player in the draft who could orchestrate an offense at the college level while also providing scoring off the bounce. But the issue is the one every 5-10 guard faces: he isn't a plus athlete, and bigger guards are going to hunt him the moment he steps on an NBA floor. That's precisely why he is a projected second-rounder and will need to work his way up."
Conwell, a 6-2 guard, played one season each at South Florida, Louisville, Xavier and Louisville, scoring 1,991 total points and making 37.6% of his 3-pointers. He earned all-conference honors in three leagues.
"This spot may seem high for Conwell, but his name has come up consistently in hypotheticals where the defensive-leaning rotation bigs are off the table. So I could see the Nuggets taking the sturdily built and skilled guard who fits their system perfectly. He’s a quick-triggered movement shooter from 3, as well as an exceptional cutter. Conwell also played in offenses that ran through talented passing big men at every stop of his college career, so he’s practically lab-designed to be a role player for Nikola Jokic."
"Conwell's college career took him from South Florida to Indiana State to Xavier, and then to Louisville, and he got better at every stop. By the end of his senior year he was the leading scorer for the Cardinals at 18.8 points per game. He's a stocky 6-2 lefty with broad shoulders, no real first step, and exactly one dunk in four years of college basketball. But he's a knockdown shooter with deep range and a bruiser at the rim who absorbs contact like a fullback. The question is whether the climb continues at the next level, when he can't muscle his way to the cup or shoot over the top of smaller defenders the way he could in college."
The 6-9 big man scored 1,655 points with 762 rebounds over four seasons at Purdue. He averaged 20.1 points per game as a junior, earning first-team All-Big Ten honors.
"Kaufman-Renn is a throwback post hub who bullies smalls, finesses bigs, and passes like a point center. But he's a ground-bound tweener who can't shoot and barely blocks shots — he logged only 39 in 147 career college games."
The 6-7 wing played one season each for Pepperdine, Gonzaga and Butler. He averaged 16.4 points and 11.1 rebounds with Butler, earning All-Big East honors.
Ajayi brings role player qualities the way he rebounds at an elite level, passes within the flow of the offense, and defends multiple positions. After a strong year there, he transferred to Gonzaga but struggled, then went to Butler and earned an All-Big East performance by displaying the same qualities that made him an appealing prospect in the first place.
Barclays Center in New York.
First round is on ABC, ESPN and the ESPN app; second round is on ESPN and the ESPN app.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: NBA Draft 2026: Braden Smith, Ryan Conwell, Trey Kaufman-Renn, Michael Ajayi
Continue reading...
That's too much production for the NBA to ignore, right?
Smith's height — or lack of it — works against him. NBA teams don't often spend draft picks on players listed at 6-foot, and he was measured at 5-10 1/4 at the NBA Combine.
Final NBA mock drafts see Smith as a solid second-round pick. Another likely second-round pick is Pike High School alum Ryan Conwell. Other possibilities include Purdue's Trey Kaufman-Renn and Butler's Michael Ajayi.
Will the Pacers get involved?: Indiana free agency targets, trade rumors and top targets
Will Braden Smith be picked in the 2026 NBA Draft?
- Kevin O'Connor, Yahoo: 43rd, by the Brooklyn Nets
"Smith left Purdue as the NCAA's all-time assists leader, breaking a 33-year-old record. He's arguably the highest-IQ player in the draft who could orchestrate an offense at the college level while also providing scoring off the bounce. But the issue is the one every 5-10 guard faces: he isn't a plus athlete, and bigger guards are going to hunt him the moment he steps on an NBA floor. That's precisely why he is a projected second-rounder and will need to work his way up."
- Sam Vecenie, The Athletic: 39th, by the Houston Rockets
- Jeremy Woo, ESPN: 35th, by the San Antonio Spurs
- Krysten Peek, Hoops HQ: 50th, by the Toronto Raptors
Will Ryan Conwell be picked in the 2026 NBA Draft?
Conwell, a 6-2 guard, played one season each at South Florida, Louisville, Xavier and Louisville, scoring 1,991 total points and making 37.6% of his 3-pointers. He earned all-conference honors in three leagues.
- The Ringer: 26th, by the Denver Nuggets
"This spot may seem high for Conwell, but his name has come up consistently in hypotheticals where the defensive-leaning rotation bigs are off the table. So I could see the Nuggets taking the sturdily built and skilled guard who fits their system perfectly. He’s a quick-triggered movement shooter from 3, as well as an exceptional cutter. Conwell also played in offenses that ran through talented passing big men at every stop of his college career, so he’s practically lab-designed to be a role player for Nikola Jokic."
- O'Connor: 38th, by the Chicago Bulls
"Conwell's college career took him from South Florida to Indiana State to Xavier, and then to Louisville, and he got better at every stop. By the end of his senior year he was the leading scorer for the Cardinals at 18.8 points per game. He's a stocky 6-2 lefty with broad shoulders, no real first step, and exactly one dunk in four years of college basketball. But he's a knockdown shooter with deep range and a bruiser at the rim who absorbs contact like a fullback. The question is whether the climb continues at the next level, when he can't muscle his way to the cup or shoot over the top of smaller defenders the way he could in college."
- Vecenie: 33rd, by the Brooklyn Nets
- Peek: 42nd, by the San Antonio Spurs
Will Trey Kaufman-Renn be picked in the 2026 NBA Draft?
The 6-9 big man scored 1,655 points with 762 rebounds over four seasons at Purdue. He averaged 20.1 points per game as a junior, earning first-team All-Big Ten honors.
- Woo: 59th by the Minnesota Timberwolves
"Kaufman-Renn is a throwback post hub who bullies smalls, finesses bigs, and passes like a point center. But he's a ground-bound tweener who can't shoot and barely blocks shots — he logged only 39 in 147 career college games."
- Vecenie: 58th, by the New Orleans Pelicans
Will Michael Ajayi be picked in the 2026 NBA Draft?
The 6-7 wing played one season each for Pepperdine, Gonzaga and Butler. He averaged 16.4 points and 11.1 rebounds with Butler, earning All-Big East honors.
- O'Connor: 58th, by the New Orleans Pelicans
Ajayi brings role player qualities the way he rebounds at an elite level, passes within the flow of the offense, and defends multiple positions. After a strong year there, he transferred to Gonzaga but struggled, then went to Butler and earned an All-Big East performance by displaying the same qualities that made him an appealing prospect in the first place.
When is the NBA Draft 2026?
- Tuesday, June 23: First round starts at 8 p.m. ET; 5 minutes per pick
- Wednesday, June 24: Second round starts at 8 p.m. ET; 4 minutes per pick
Where is the NBA Draft 2026?
Barclays Center in New York.
How can I watch the NBA Draft 2026?
First round is on ABC, ESPN and the ESPN app; second round is on ESPN and the ESPN app.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: NBA Draft 2026: Braden Smith, Ryan Conwell, Trey Kaufman-Renn, Michael Ajayi
Continue reading...
