Zhaire Smith

Pro comparison
Similar to a more athletic P.J. Tucker

NBA projection
Rotation player 

Measurements
6’4″ 198 lbs 6’9.75″ wingspan 19 years old

Write Up
Zhaire Smith wasn’t planning on being a one and done prospect, but shot up draft boards due to his overall impact at Texas Tech. He’s a hyper athletic SG/SF who elevates with ease and is fast up and down the court in transition. He has a high motor and does a great job using his athleticism to crash the glass, move without the ball, and man up on defense. Offensively, Smith is raw, but shows some potential as a shooter/playmaker. He shot 45% from deep on a small sample size (1.1 attempts per game), but showed the ability to hit spot up shots when left open and occasionally pull-up off the bounce. He has a long ways to go in terms of shot mechanics and production, but with NBA training there’s a chance he can become a 3+D type of prospect. Smith also needs to refine/tighten his handle, he has a shaky handle and frequently loses the ball in traffic and lacks creativity in ISO situations.  Early in the season Smith was projected to be a small ball 4, which is still possible in some lineups, but after he measured in at 6’4″ 198 lbs at the combine he’s more limited to the SG/SF positions. Unfortunately his skill set is more like a PF and it’ll be interesting how he handles playing the wing positions offensively in the NBA.  Defensively, Smith is a versatile and tough player, but needs to improve his post defense as he was ranked in the 13th percentile according to Synergy. Overall, Smith is a high upside prospect who possess a very good combination of athleticism/motor, his development and team fit will be especially key to his success.