NBA Draft Player Profile: Jabari Smith Jr.
Jun 20, 2022, 6:55 PM
(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
It’s Draft Week!
As we prepare to take in the 2022 NBA Draft on Thursday night, let’s take a look at some of the notable prospects that the Sacramento Kings could look to select with the fourth pick.
Today, we will take a look at talented Auburn forward Jabari Smith Jr.
Of course, it’s very unlikely that the Kings select Smith as the standout forward is projected as a top-two pick, but anything is possible on draft day.
Jabari Smith Jr. | 6’10 220 lbs | PF | Auburn
Projected draft range: 1st through 2nd
2021-22 stats: 16.9 PTS, 7.4 REB, 2.0 AST, 1.1 STL, 1.0 BLK, 43% FG, 42% 3PT, 28.8 MIN
If Smith’s name sounds familiar to you, it’s because his father, Jabari Smith, played for the Kings during the 2001-02 and 2003-04 seasons.
The 19-year-old is viewed as a top–if not the top–talent in the draft as it’s becoming increasingly likely that the Orlando Magic will select Smith with the number-one pick during June 23rd’s draft.
The SEC Freshmen of the Year was a dominant force for an Auburn team that finished the season with a 28-6 record en route to a second-round appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
Smith is seen as one of the most athletic prospects in the draft and a high-level defender. The All-American’s 7’1 wingspan makes him an imposing presence in the paint, something that the college basketball landscape had to learn about the hard way in 2021-22.
Over 34 games, Smith racked up 35 blocked shots and swiped 37 steals to go along with his eye-popping athleticism on the offensive end.
As far as three-point shooting goes, Smith converted 42 percent of nearly 200 attempts to prove that he can play the role of stretch-four at the NBA level.
It’s unlikely that Smith is available at fourth when Kings general manager Monte McNair is on the clock, but expect the talented forward to be one of the first names called on Thursday night.
