‘It’s a dream’: Braden Smith embraces staying home and beginning his Pacers journey
The Westfield native discusses his draft-night experience, early workouts with Tyrese Haliburton and the challenge of beginning his NBA career on a two-way contract.
CARMEL — Braden Smith is truly living out a dream.
He is part of the small percentage of basketball players selected in the NBA Draft — and he also gets to stay home.
The Westfield High School graduate and 2022 Indiana Mr. Basketball hasn’t had to travel far to continue his basketball career. First, he went up to West Lafayette for four years with coach Matt Painter at Purdue University (2022-26).
Then, just two weeks ago, he was selected 38th overall in the 2026 NBA Draft by the Indiana Pacers. Better yet, the Pacers completed a trade with the Bulls to acquire the selection and keep Smith in Indianapolis.
That’s how much they believed in him and wanted him. And because of the front office’s familiarity with Smith and his game — no team knew him better — the Pacers could feel very comfortable selecting him in the second round.
The trade also allowed the Pacers to move off Kam Jones’ salary and free up a roster spot. Both are critical with the margins so slim right now.
But make no mistake: They wanted Smith. And so did other teams, especially the Lakers and Bucks.
In the days immediately following the draft, Smith got right to work. He was at the Pacers’ practice facility daily for workouts.
“Just getting individual workouts, getting your feet wet, and trying to just get in there with the guys and work out with everybody,” Smith said. “And I think for me, it’s just, it’s a dream to be there. So just trying to soak it up and enjoy it.”
Smith was eager to get started, and there was no reason to waste time learning his new environment. Tyrese Haliburton was in the gym, too. Who better to learn from during this transition?
“It’s exciting, right?” Haliburton said of Smith’s story. “I keep telling him like, well, this has gotta be a dream come true to be in-state kid, go to state school, to end up on the NBA team. That’s so fire to me. That’s like what dreams are made of. So it’s really cool.
“Obviously, we play the same position, so we spend a lot of time together with position groups and stuff like that. So I look forward to just helping him out as much as I can.”
Three days after becoming a professional, Smith made the short drive to the Aletto Family Sports Center in Carmel. Many Pacers staff members were there to help Haliburton at his fifth annual youth camp — and so was Smith.
It was his first official public appearance as a Pacer and his first opportunity to support a fellow point guard.
Smith wore a gold chain with his number — 3 — on display. He was in a navy camp t-shirt with a caricature of Haliburton on the front. He was also noticeably outfitted in a pair of his teammates’ Puma shoes, the Hali 1s. And he’s continued to wear them during rookie/free-agent camp, which leads into summer league.
Haliburton is a hoop head so he’s constantly watching all levels of basketball. He’s at an AAU tournament right now supporting Team Hali. So even though it was Big Ten basketball, he saw a lot of Smith at Purdue.
“By the time I was a sophomore, I felt like I had perfected the pick-and-roll at the collegiate level. I didn’t feel like anybody,” Haliburton said. “Didn’t matter who was guarding me — going right, going left, whatever pass I needed to make, I could make. And I felt the same way when I watched him play. He can really make any read offensively. He’s very talented in that regard, just being a point guard, knowing how to play the right way. I think that will not be a problem for him in his NBA career.”
As Summer League in Las Vegas is set to begin at 4:30 p.m. ET on Friday, their first of at least five games, the most interesting storyline to play out is for the final spots on the roster. (Click here for their schedule and roster)
More specially, the three two-way slots.
Taelon Peter and Ethan Thompson are still under contract for another season. The Pacers issued a qualifying offer to Jalen Slawson for one. Kobe Brown, who was included in the trade with the LA Clippers for Ivica Zubac, signed a two-way deal on Thursday — a nice addition.
Plus, Smith was expecting to sign a two-way.
So right now, there’s five players for three spots.
A two-way deal is a valuable tool for filling spots 16-18 on the roster. It allows a player to spend up to 50 games with the NBA club while earning half of the rookie minimum salary, nearly $700,000. Best of all for the Pacers, a two-way player’s salary does not count against the salary cap.
If the Pacers had kept the No. 5 overall pick, the intrigue surrounding the Summer Pacers would be much different. Summer League is about individuals receiving opportunities — from players to coaches, referees and others — and this year is no different.
Smith spoke with Fieldhouse Files and the IndyStar at Haliburton’s camp. Read the full Q&A below.
Take us back kind of to draft night. You’re there up in Carmel enjoying it with everyone. What was that experience like for you?
It was awesome. Obviously, it’s a lot going on. But I mean, at the end of the day, it ended up working out and being back home, so it was good.
At what point did you know it was Pacers and not Bulls?
I knew right as the pick was going, so I knew pretty early.
Did you have a good sense going in that they were gonna try to take you?
Yeah, it was between them, Lakers, and Milwaukee. They were all kind of fighting for that. So I was trying to figure out which team of a three, and I knew right as they were on the clock that Pacers was it.
What does this mean to be able to be here? You’re doing this camp and you’re what, ten minutes from home?
Literally, yeah. It’s awesome just to be here and be literally close to home and be around a community I’ve always been around, so it’s awesome.
You’re gonna be coming on a two-way contract. Did you tell them in advance that was something you were willing to do? How do you view that challenge?
It’s always gonna be a challenge for me, especially at this level and every level I’ve been a part of. So nothing’s really new, to be honest. And for me, I think that’s the exciting part, is that you get to go out there, start back at ground zero, and work your way up. So that’s what I’m looking forward to.
I know you guys talked to Tyrese a little bit back last year. What are some of the things you guys talked about, what have you learned from him?
It was more just checking in, saying what’s up, rather than me asking questions. Now that we’re together, we’re on the same team, it’ll probably be more question-based in a practice setting. But for me, I don’t wanna be that guy when we’re out in public, be like, what can you teach me? It’s more just getting to know him and building a connection. So I think that’s what I try to do.
Note: Here was Haliburton on that interaction… “Giving him some flack, because obviously I went to the game, Cyclones. Cooked them last year, and I’m sure they’ll do the same to Purdue this year. So I’m sure we’ll be having some fun conversations with that.”
What do you hope you’re able to get out of Summer League, and kind of get your first taste of the NBA action?
It’s for me, it’s just go out, play loose, and have fun. Everybody says pressure and all that — there’s no pressure for me.
It’s going out and doing what I’ve always done. And obviously, back against the wall a little bit, and obviously a lot of doubt. I mean, it’s just everything I’ve always ever dealt with. So for me, it’s just go out there and show I belong, and play for an organization that plays the right way. And try to help.
Has there been anything that stands out about your conversations with Rick Carlisle, and leading into even draft night, maybe?
Not really, no. It’s more like building that connection, relationship is the biggest thing. And then we’re not really in the stage of practicing and that stuff yet, so I haven’t really got the chance to.
