With the 2022 NBA Draft only a few days away, we are beginning to see how the draft board may go. The Orlando Magic were one of the biggest winners of the lottery, as they landed the No. 1 overall pick. Now, we know who they may be leaning toward with that selection.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, versatile Auburn forward Jabari Smith Jr. is not going to be waiting very long to hear his name called. He will likely be selected first overall and if something changes there, the Oklahoma City Thunder are expected to pounce with the second pick.
“Auburn’s Jabari Smith, who worked out and met with the Magic (No. 1) and Thunder (No. 2) during the predraft process, is a virtual lock to go in the top two in the draft. He remains a favorite to go No. 1.”
Smith seemingly being the consensus No. 1 pick in this year’s draft class should come as no surprise. In his single season with the Tigers, Smith averaged 16.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, two assists, 1.1 steals and one block in 28.8 minutes per game.
LATEST NBA DRAFT NEWS AND RUMORS: NBA Mock Draft 2022: Does Jabari Smith Jr. Go No. 1 Overall To Orlando Magic?
He has everything that teams are looking for as a prototypical two-way wing to build their roster around. At the very least, Smith’s floor is as an elite 3-and-D player as he is already an excellent spot-up shooter around the perimeter and excels as an on-ball defender.
Last season with Auburn, Smith knocked down 42 percent of his 3-point attempts. He can knock down jumpers from everywhere on the court as it is impossible for defenders to bother him with an unblockable jump shot.
The knocks on Smith’s game feel a bit like nitpicking. He will sometimes miss open teammates when the ball is in his hands, so his playmaking could use a little work. Cleaning up his ball-handling and mechanics is something that can easily be fixed as he is a hard worker. He won’t offer much rim protection, but how much of a knock is that when you have the ceiling he does as an all-around defender?
LATEST NBA DRAFT NEWS AND RUMORS: NBA Mock Draft 2022: Does Jabari Smith Jr. Go No. 1 Overall To Orlando Magic?
The Orlando Magic, should they select Jabari Smith Jr. as expected, will be adding a great player to the mix. He is ready to help the team now and he has the ceiling to develop into the kind of two-way producer that anchors contending teams.
