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2 - Zhaire Smith

6-4, 200 Shooting Guard
Texas Tech Freshman
Birthday
06/04/99 (24.8 yrs)
Hometown
Garland, TX
High School
Lakeview Centennial
Team Site Profile
Statistics
Athleticism
10
Size
8
Defense
8
Strength
7
Quickness
8
Leadership
7
Jump Shot
7
NBA Ready
7
Ball Handling
7
Potential
9
Passing
7
Intangibles
7

NBA Comparison: Avery Bradley/Norman Powell

Strengths: Has an underrated feel for the game … High basketball IQ … Versatile swingman … Exceptional athleticism and bounce … 45-inch vertical … Has great leaping ability off of two feet … Quick feet … Possesses a combination of fluidity and explosiveness … Powerful build … Excellent length for his size (6’9’ wingspan) … Plays with high energy … Developing jumper … Knows how to read the floor and makes smart passes … Passes up good looks for great ones … Has quick decision-making ability, especially in transition as he finds his teammates … Great cutter and finisher at the rim … Active as an off-ball screener … Looks for different ways to get his teammates open … Shows great awareness in traffic/in the paint … Doesn’t look to force tough shots over bigger defenders … Makes good use of up-fakes to creates shots for himself and his teammates … Gets after it on the defensive end on and off the ball … Displays great defensive instincts and effort … Good shot blocker for a wing player … Can guard multiple positions 1-4 at college level … Shows tenacity in fighting through screens … Great offensive rebounder … A constant threat for putbacks … Has knack for being the right position to make plays on both ends of the floor … His athleticism allows him to cover ground quickly, which makes him a threat to block shots from the weak side … Leaves shooters little to no airspace … His length (and hops) is a huge problem for the opposition when he’s contesting shots … Has great anticipation as a shot blocker … Has a knack for chase-down blocks are routine for him … Has a promising shooting form with touch …

Weaknesses: As promising as he is, he’s still a project offensively … Isn’t a number one scoring or playmaking option at this time … He’s a capable shooter, but this area still needs work … Shooting form is not fluid (misses shots badly) … Reluctant to shoot threes … Needs to show continued improvement on his three-point shot and free-throws … Ball-handling needs to become more advanced … Playmaking (needs more development as a shot creator) … Relies heavily on his teammates to make plays for him … Needs to show he can get off his own shot … Takes questionable shots … Ends up in on no man’s land on defense at times … Shot a very impressive 45% from 3 as a freshman, however it was on a low volume of shots (18/40) … is a player that likely will take more time than most to reach his potential, though he should be able to hang with NBA level athletes from the time he begins his NBA career …
 
Overall: Smith had a breakout season for Texas Tech. As a result, he improved his draft stock perhaps more than any player in the nation … Although he seems physically ready for the next level, he still needs to improve upon his basketball skills … His three-point shooting needs to be his major focus leading up the draft, as it’s a necessity for NBA shooting guards … As of now, he brings much more value on defense than in any other aspect of his game … Once he gets stronger, he’s is going to be the total defensive package from the wing spot … Smith has declared for the 2018 draft but stopped short of hiring an agent, thus giving him the option to return to Texas Tech for his sophomore year based on feedback from NBA scouts/personnel …  

Tajh Jenkins 4/9/18

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