“What if he’s a 6-foot-10 Ray Allen?” - Kevin O’Connor on the potential of Jabari Smith Jr.
Jaden Ivey, Paolo Banchero and Jabari Smith Jr. are all in consideration for the NBA draft's top pick. Still, The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor believes Smith's shooting and potential elevate him above the others.
March Madness was not ideal for many of the top draft prospects. The Auburn Tigers' Smith, the Purdue Boilermakers' Ivey and the Gonzaga Bulldogs' Chet Holmgren are no longer in the Tournament. The Duke Blue Devils' Paolo Banchero played the Arkansas Razorbacks in the Elite Eight on Saturday night.
Smith shot 3-for-16 while totaling 10 points, 15 rebounds, four assists and three blocks in a second-round upset to the Miami Hurricanes. Auburn was the No. 2 seed in the Midwest but fell 79-61 to a No. 10 seed. His shooting performance is partly on him and partly due to the offense's spacing against Miami.
Ziaire Williams shot 43% on 2-point shots in college. He is currently shooting 65% on 2-point shots as an NBA rookie.
NBA spacing is truly a blessing, and it shouldn’t be discounted when evaluating college players who struggle inside the arc (i.e. Jabari Smith).
Kevin O'Connor believes that NBA spacing will allow Smith to reach his maximum potential. He also believes Smith's potential is extremely high because of his shooting prowess. Smith shot 42.9% (42.0% from 3-point range) and averaged 16.9 points per game this season.
"Jabari Smith, the way I think about him is, what if he's a 6-foot-10 Ray Allen?" O'Connor said.
Drawing comparisons to a Hall of Famer while in college puts plenty of pressure on the forward, but he has the shooting ability to be a great NBA shooter. The caliber of shooter he becomes is entirely on him and the team that drafts him, but he can do more than shoot well.
Jabari Smith's NBA potential
At 6-10, 220, Jabari Smith Jr. has the potential to be much more than an elite shooter, which he showed at Auburn. Smith's ability to elevate gives him the potential to be an effective shot-blocker and dunker in the NBA. He showed the in first round of the NCAA Tournament.
JABARI SMITH FOR THE LOVE OF ELEVATION https://t.co/IXlERkfByy
Smith is also a skilled defender with enough athletic ability to play various roles. In the modern era of positionless basketball, he can play almost any position, although he's best suited to be a small forward or power forward.
Smith's shooting is the strength of his game, which is why he draws comparisons to Allen. Still, versatility will give him the best opportunity to be the No. 1 pick.
The Houston Rockets, Orlando Magic, Detroit Pistons and OKC Thunder could all fit him into their current systems. Once the Lottery arrives, Smith's future will become clearer, as will the rest of the draft.