NBA Draft 2020: Big Board 2.0

21. JALEN SMITH, Big, Maryland

After a lackluster freshman campaign and a rocky start to his sophomore season, Jalen Smith came around in a big way. He finished the season with averages of 15.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks per game. As the cherry on top, he shot 36.8 percent from deep.

7-footers who can space the floor, move on the perimeter, and protect the rim are exceedingly rare, even in a modern NBA that covets them. Smith checks all three boxes, and that alone makes him one of the most intriguing bigs in the 2020 class. He’s still a tad thin for a true center, but his versatility trumps concerns over positional fit.

Smith has long held promise as a prospect, and he finally delivered on it this season. He needs to work on his frame in order to fully realize his defensive potential at the next level, but Smith is a talented player deserving of first-round hype.