Why Did Braden Smith Change His Number? Purdue Star Explains the Jersey Switch
“I ripped it fully with both hands like Superman.” Braden Smith explained after the game.
Published March 16 2026, 10:41 a.m. ET
When fans tuned into the Big Ten tournament title game, they immediately noticed something different about Braden Smith. The Purdue star guard was not wearing his usual No. 3 jersey.
Braden’s bigger story is just as impressive as the jersey chaos. He is a 6-foot senior guard from Westfield, Ind., and the son of Dustin and Ginny Smith. Purdue’s official bio states that his mother, Ginny, was Arkansas’s Miss Basketball in 1997 and later coached girls basketball at Westfield.
In high school, Braden became Indiana Mr. Basketball. He finished as Westfield’s all-time leader in points and assists and helped deliver the program’s first sectional title in 105 years. Now he plays for Purdue, where fans track his every move on the court.
Why did Braden Smith change his jersey number?
Braden suddenly showed up wearing No. 41 instead of his usual No. 3. However, the switch was not a permanent rebrand or secret tribute. Braden changed numbers because he ripped his regular jersey during the first half of Purdue’s championship win over Michigan, forcing an in-game uniform swap.
He explained what happened after the game. “I ripped it fully,” Braden told Sports Illustrated. He added that frustration had been building because of recent missed shots.
“I ripped it fully with both hands like Superman style,” Braden said. “I was really frustrated. A lot of misses these past four games, and I was really frustrated because I put a lot of time and work in. When you don’t see the results, it gets to you.”
Ultimately, the jersey swap did not slow him down. Braden finished the Michigan game with 14 points and 11 assists. Purdue beat the Wolverines 80–72, and Braden earned the Big Ten tournament’s Most Outstanding Player award. The performance also pushed him closer to history. Braden moved to within one assist of Bobby Hurley’s NCAA career record of 1,076 assists.
How is Braden Smith doing this season?
Braden is still putting up numbers this season. According to ESPN, he averages 14.0 points, 9.1 assists, and 3.6 rebounds while shooting 44.6 percent through 35 games. Purdue also broke the Big Ten career assists record with Braden in January. By the end of the Big Ten tournament, he had played 145 games for the Boilermakers, all with Purdue, and sat just one assist shy of the NCAA career record.
Braden has also made it clear why Purdue still means so much to him. When he announced he was coming back for 2025–26, he wrote, “Running it back one last time,” per Reuters. He added, "Purdue has given me everything: Memories, challenges, growth, and a family. There's still more to prove, more to accomplish, and more moments to create with my brothers.”
Overall, Purdue is having a solid season. The Boilermakers are 27–8 overall and 13–7 in the Big Ten, just won the conference tournament, and grabbed a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament, according to ESPN. They looked shaky heading into postseason play, but then ripped off wins over Northwestern, Nebraska, UCLA, and Michigan in Chicago to grab momentum at exactly the right time. Purdue is now set to open the NCAA tournament against Queens.