dpWEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Former Purdue stars Braden Smith, Trey Kaufman-Renn, Fletcher Loyer and Oscar Cluff are hopeful to hear their names called in the 2026 NBA Draft, which begins Tuesday at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
The first round on Tuesday will be televised by ABC and ESPN, starting at 8 p.m. ET. Wednesday’s second round will be televised by ESPN only, also beginning at 8 p.m. ET.
PURDUE PRE-DRAFT NOTES
• Purdue has had 52 players selected in the NBA / ABA Draft, most recently in 2024 when Zach Edey was selected No. 9 by the Memphis Grizzlies.
• There have been 10 Boilermakers drafted under head coach Matt Painter as Carl Landry (2007; 31), JaJuan Johnson (2011; 27), E’Twaun Moore (2011; 55), Robbie Hummel (2012; 58), A.J. Hammons (2016; 46), Caleb Swanigan (2017; 26), Vince Edwards (2018; 52), Carsen Edwards (2019; 33), Jaden Ivey (2022; 5) and Zach Edey (2024; 9) have all been selected.
• Purdue hasn’t had two players selected in the same NBA Draft since 2011 (JaJuan Johnson, E’Twaun Moore). In the two-round NBA Draft era (since 1989), Purdue has had at least two players selected just once (2011).
• Purdue has never had three players selected in the same NBA Draft.
• Purdue’s last two NBA Draft picks have been selected in the Lottery (Jaden Ivey – 5th in 2022; Zach Edey – 9th in 2024). Prior to the Ivey selection, the last Purdue pick in the Lottery was when Glenn Robinson was selected No. 1 in 1994.
• Since the 2017 NBA Draft (nine drafts), Purdue’s three first-round picks (Swanigan, Ivey, Edey) rank tied for the third most in the Big Ten.
• Since the 2016 NBA Draft (10 drafts), Purdue’s six selections make the Boilermakers one-of-five Big Ten programs to have at least six selections.
• Since 1977, Purdue is the only Big Ten team and one of eight schools nationally with multiple No. 1 NBA Draft picks (Duke – 5; Kentucky – 3; Purdue, LSU, North Carolina, Georgetown, Kansas, UNLV).
• Since the 2016 NBA Draft, Purdue has had five players drafted that ranked No. 75 or lower in the 247Sports high school recruit rankings (A.J. Hammons, Vince Edwards, Carsen Edwards, Jaden Ivey, Zach Edey), the second most in the country behind Michigan (7). Three of Purdue’s four possible selections were all ranked below No. 75 (Smith, Loyer, Cluff).
• Twenty-four of a possible 30 NBA teams have selected Purdue players, led by Atlanta, Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State with five selections. The Clippers, Heat, Pelicans, Magic, Suns and Raptors have not selected a Purdue player.
• Braden Smith is looking to become the first player under 6-feet tall to be drafted since Miami’s Shane Larkin in 2013. There are currently no active players in the NBA measuring under 6-feet tall. Smith was measured at 5-10 ½ at the NBA Draft Combine. Larkin was selected 18th in 2013, playing four NBA seasons and 256 career games.
