Ranking every Philadelphia 76ers player on the 2018-19 roster
10. Zhaire Smith
The most recent injured 76ers draft pick provides athleticism and potential lock-down defensive ability, and although he will miss a chunk of time early in the season, he should prove to be an upgrade upon the recently departed wing duo of Justin Anderson and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot.
In his one year at Texas Tech, the 6-foot-4 wing stood out defensively, averaging 1.1 blocks and steals per game and finishing in sixth place in the Big 12 in defensive rating. Whenever he makes his NBA debut, he will instantly add a tough defensive presence off the bench. The Sixers severely lacked strong depth on the wing, and their second unit wings particularly struggled on the defensive end, so Smith will help fix that issue this season.
Although his defensive ability stands out above all, Smith’s offensive game does not disappoint. First off, the kid can straight up fly, which means Sixers fans will see plenty of fast-break jams from him.
Additionally, he made a stellar 45 percent of his three-pointers on 1.1 attempts per game. He dropped 11.3 points per game along with 1.8 assists per game. Luckily for him and the team, he will not have to act as floor general since Ben Simmons, Markelle Fultz, and T.J. McConnell are all more suited to playing that role.
Smith’s injury will hinder his development, but as long as he fully recovers, he will be one of the most exciting players on the team. He can shift momentum with a chase down block or a thunderous dunk, and he does not sacrifice teamwork for entertainment value.