Tyrese Haliburton Compares Braden Smith to T.J. McConnell, Praises ‘Unbelievable’ Passing

Braden Smith had 6 assists and 3 turnovers in 14:22 through regulation Friday night as the Indiana Pacers closed the preseason against the Milwaukee Bucks at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

The rookie point guard went 0-of-2 from the field. Milwaukee won 128-127 in overtime.

Two of his passes were alley-oops to Keba Keita during a 9-0 Indiana run in the second half.

T.J. McConnell did not play Friday. Tyrese Haliburton said Smith has a knack like McConnell's for getting baseline.

"I think he's doing a good job, man," Haliburton said. "I think he's growing every day, just learning who he is as a player. I think he kind of has a knack like TJ, being able to get baseline really easily. But I feel like as more time goes on, the more game reps he gets to keep being aggressive, I think that'll really help him."

"But I feel like he's learned a lot. [He's an] unbelievable passer," Haliburton continued. "I feel like that's a very underrated skill of his. He can find anybody and make passes with either hand, but he's got to continue to be aggressive. It's funny that I'm the guy telling him to be more aggressive, but I think when he's able to kind of be more of a threat to score the ball, it opens up his passing ability. So he's growing every day. I feel like it's been really good for him to be with not having TJ."

The Chicago Bulls drafted Smith 38th overall in June. Indiana traded Kam Jones, its 2025 second-round pick, to Chicago to get him.

Jones played for Milwaukee on Friday, and his only field goal through regulation was a 3-pointer.

Smith is on a two-way contract. He, Kobe Brown, and Jalen Slawson hold the Pacers' three two-way spots, and Smith can split time between Indiana and the Noblesville Boom, its G League affiliate.

At Purdue, Smith played four seasons from 2022 to 2026 and left as the NCAA's career assists leader.

He led the country with 345 assists as a senior, averaging 14.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 8.8 assists in 39 games. He played his high school basketball at Westfield, north of Indianapolis.

Smith measured 5-foot-10¼ and 166 pounds at the draft combine.

Pacers general manager Chad Buchanan pointed to Kemba Walker, whom he worked with in Charlotte, as a model for how Smith can learn to finish around the rim at that size.

In Las Vegas, Smith scored 16 points against the Philadelphia 76ers in a Summer League overtime loss. Two days later, he went 0-of-7 from the field against the Toronto Raptors and still had 9 assists.

During the preseason, Smith had 5 points on 2-of-9 shooting and 5 assists in 16 minutes Tuesday at Oklahoma City.

A Pacers assistant told Spotrac's Keith Smith during Summer League that Smith was the best young passer he had ever seen.

Keita, a center out of BYU, went 3-of-3 from the field and scored 6 points in 7:40 through regulation Friday.

He and Smith both played for the Pacers' Summer League team in July.

Haliburton played 20:18 and scored 17 points before the Pacers' starters sat the entire second half.

McConnell missed the game with an undisclosed issue, as did Jarace Walker. Aaron Nesmith was out with a hamstring injury.

New Orleans hosts the Pacers in the opener Wednesday, Oct. 21, at 8 p.m. ET.

Indiana's first home game is two nights later against the Dallas Mavericks.