Smith is probably the best athlete in the draft. He’s one of the least-refined prospects in the lottery discussion, but his defensive upside and athletic ceiling are two things that NBA teams will covet. His high basketball I.Q. alleviates a lot of potential concerns as well.
At 6-foot-4 with a 6-foot-10 wingspan, Smith has the tools needed to defend one through three. He’s also an impressive off-ball defender, bursting into passing lanes and making the occasional high-flying block on the weak side. He also rebounds supremely well for a wing.
Where Smith needs to work on his game is the offensive end. He’s an explosive cutter and smart passer, but doesn’t project all that well as a shooter or ball handler. He hit threes at a solid rate in college, but they were standstill, spot-up threes that gave him enough time to get off his lengthy release. That won’t always cut it in the NBA.