Zhaire Smith, SG, Texas Tech
Height: 6’4″ | Weight: 195 | Age: 18
Stats: 11.3 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 55.6% FG
In that same CBS Sports piece that had Donte DiVincenzo going to the Jazz, Gary Parrish pinned Zhaire Smith from Texas Tech as Utah’s 21st overall pick. Here’s his scoop:
"Smith is the rare one-and-done player who was a sub-100 prospect coming out of high school. It’s a remarkable story — one that features the 6-5 wing putting himself in this position by displaying top-shelf athleticism while averaging 11.3 points and 5.0 rebounds for a Texas Tech team that advanced to the Elite Eight."
My two cents: What stands out the most to me about Zhaire Smith is his athleticism. He definitely has the tools to be an impressive NBA player, but once again, it’s going to take some time. His rise from a relative unknown to an NBA prospect is pretty impressive and I feel his “let me prove you wrong” mentality could help him fit in with a Jazz squad known for its “chip on the shoulder bunch” with guys like Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert and Joe Ingles.