The Big Ten Player of the Year award has resided in West Lafayette the last two seasons, but a new face is looking to make it three in a row for the Boilermakers. Purdue junior guard Braden Smith was named the 2024-25 Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year by a select media panel on Tuesday afternoon, per a release from the conference.

Smith emerged as one of the top point guards in the nation as a sophomore, being the only player in the country to average at least 12 points, 7.5 assists and 5.0 rebounds per game. After helping guide the Boilermakers to their first Final Four under Matt Painter, Smith now has the keys to the team following the departure of back-to-back National Player of the Year Zach Edey.

Along with being the B1G Preseason Player of the Year, Smith was also named to the Preseason All-Big Ten Team, being the only Boilermaker in the group and the only unanimous selection.

The rest of the team includes Indiana center Oumar Ballo, Iowa forward Payton Sandford, Minnesota forward Dawson Garcia, Northwestern guard Brooks Barnhizer, Ohio State guard Bruce Thorton, Oregon guard Jackson Shelstad, Penn State guard Ace Baldwin Jr., Rutgers guard Dylan Harper and Washington forward Great Osobor.