ICYMI: Jabari Smith Jr. leaves his teammates in shock with a poster dunk vs Jacksonville State in the first round of March Madness
Auburn Tigers freshman forward Jabari Smith Jr. has quickly become one of the most dominant players in college basketball this season. Coming into the year, the 6'10" forward was viewed as a potential lottery candidate for the 2022 NBA Draft. It didn't take long before Smith quickly got the attention of NBA scouts and personnel, and he's now found himself in the running for the top overall selection.
Throughout the college season, Smith has been a force on the court for the Tigers. Basketball fans anxiously awaited the start of the NCAA tournament to get an extended look at the hyped freshman forward. The talented freshman had one of the top highlights of the entire first round of March Madness, as he went on to post a vicious monster slam against Jacksonville State in the closing minutes.
It was a play that had basketball fans around the world buzzing and had a number of players on the Auburn team in disbelief.
JABARI SMITH FOR THE LOVE OF ELEVATION https://t.co/IXlERkfByy
Auburn Tigers freshman Jabari Smith Jr. continues to make noise
While the poster dunk is sure to be the highlight of the first-round matchup against Jacksonville State, Jabari Smith Jr. also went on to post an extremely impressive statline. The 6'10" forward went on to finish the game with 20 points, 14 rebounds and four assists while shooting 6-of-14 from the field. It was an impressive debut from the 18-year-old forward, who continues to generate serious buzz in NBA Draft circles as a candidate for the top overall selection.
Smith has been one of the most impressive players in college basketball this year. It was expected that the 18-year-old would offer some floor spacing ability at the start of the season, but Jabari has given the Tigers that and more.
Not only has Smith shown the ability to be a multi-level scorer on the court, he's showcased a lethal outside shot that has extended well beyond NBA-range. What's made the Auburn freshman such an intriguing talent for NBA scouts is his development on the defensive side of the ball.
Wendell Green Jr.’s reaction to Jabari Smith’s dunk is everything https://t.co/hKtaSLzQos
The 18-year-old has showcased the potential to become an all-around star at the next level and he's only going to continue to generate more buzz throughout March Madness. After an impressive victory over Jacksonville State, the Tigers will be prepared to take on the Miami Hurricanes in the second round of the NCAA tournament.