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  1. #1
    5. timvp's Avatar
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    Jalen Smith

    College: Maryland
    Position: C/PF
    Age: 20
    Height: 6-foot-10
    Weight: 225 pounds
    Draft Range: 13 to 26

    Why: Checks a lot of boxes for a modern big. Good form on his jumper and he hit 36.8% of threes and 75% of his free throws. He has a translatable future in the pick-and-pop. Aggressive finisher at the rim. Runs hard both ways; has above average speed for size. Plays with vigor on defense. Really good rebounder, reads the ball well off the rim. Length (7-foot-2 wingspan) plus courage makes him a stout shot blocker.

    Why Not: His ability to play as a stretch big could be compromised by a lack of passing instincts. Has poor court vision and slow processing speed. Athletically, he has some flaws. He has slow-ish feet and stiff hips, which makes it difficult for him to close out on the perimeter. His body is top heavy, which will likely stop him from being a post-up threat. Unless he can become more fluid, might be relegated to center.

    Spurs Fit: I don't think the G League would do much for him because he's pretty far along in his development. The Spurs might just play him early on as a rookie to see whether there's hope for him to be a long-term power forward or whether he's a full-time center.

    Spurs Comparison - Ceiling: Antonio McDyess with Range

    Spurs Comparison - Floor: Less Skilled Trey Lyles

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  2. #2
    Veteran Dejounte's Avatar
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    My guy. Here's hoping his work ethic will improve his lower body so he can become our future PF. SOMEONE has to replace Aldridge (production-wise) eventually... Might as well do it now while he's young enough to take someone under his wing.



    I could see Jalen becoming a 17 ppg, 10 reb, 2 blocks type player. Maybe not as a rookie, but in a year or two.
    Last edited by Dejounte; 09-09-2020 at 07:46 PM.

  3. #3
    Spurs Sage Russ's Avatar
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    Why: . . . has above average speed for size. . . .
    I dunno. Running the floor, he kinda makes Big Country look like Usain Bolt.

  4. #4
    Veteran Dejounte's Avatar
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  5. #5
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  6. #6
    Veteran Dejounte's Avatar
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    Jalen Smith doing Keldon things:


  7. #7
    Veteran Dejounte's Avatar
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    He won't be doing this full-time, but this is promising:


  8. #8
    Veteran Dejounte's Avatar
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    I dunno. Running the floor, he kinda makes Big Country look like Usain Bolt.
    Doesn't seem too slow on the last play in this sequence:



    He was in takeover mode during these series of plays.

  9. #9
    Veteran Dejounte's Avatar
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    Switches on a forward here:


  10. #10
    Veteran Dejounte's Avatar
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    Some more examples of his speed:


  11. #11
    Veteran Dejounte's Avatar
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    Disclaimer: I don't think he will play the wing in the NBA.

    In this video, the interviewer asks if he will play the 4 or 5 for the 2019-2020 season. He answers by saying he will play any position the coach wants him to play and that he will play the wing if he is asked to. Will do what the team needs to win. Says he would be able to attack on the wing and find open players. Timestamp is 2:50.


  12. #12
    Veteran Dejounte's Avatar
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    Probably the most hilarious clip I've found on a prospect thus far:


  13. #13
    Veteran Dejounte's Avatar
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    Very few weaknesses as a scorer, probably would solve the scoring droughts the Spurs experienced during the season. Doesn't play soft like most of our current players.



    He knows how to use the backboard effectively, which to me is an underrated skill to have on offense:



    The Spurs need a boost of length, toughness, and basketball IQ.

    It's time to end the days where players like Michael Porter Jr (or Paul Millsap last year) is abusing us because we're putting a 6'7" player on him.

    It's time to end the days where players like Marcus Morris, Montrezl Harrell are abusing Trey Lyles because he's soft and has a narrow body.

    It's time to end the days where players like JJJ, Tobias Harris are having their way with us.
    Last edited by Dejounte; 09-09-2020 at 08:14 PM.

  14. #14
    Veteran Dejounte's Avatar
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    Statistical comparison between Jalen and the top big men prospects:



    I see Jalen as being a mix of Raptors' Chris Bosh (his offense) with Pascal Siakam (body type, some of the speed and mobility). Heat Bosh shot more fadeaways and mid-range J's, so I chose the Raptors version of him.

    Little refresher on what Chris Bosh used to do:

    Last edited by Dejounte; 09-09-2020 at 09:09 PM.

  15. #15
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    Dejounte

    Keep preaching the gospel I really like this Kid he reminds me of a shorter David Robinson with a little toughness to boot. He is in my top 3 really love how well he can play defense he is a rebounding machine and a pretty good shot blocker you add those two and his ability to score makes him a great selection for who ever selects him.

    His numbers are really good per 36 minutes we looking at 12.1 Rebound and 2.7 Blocks to go with 17.8 pts.

    Take out LMA and Derozz and I think he is tied with White as far as talent and yeah would I like to draft a All Star player at 11 sure but with this draft not going to happen. For me I just want to draft players that are as good as Keldon, and White.

  16. #16
    Veteran Dejounte's Avatar
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    Numbers are VERY similar across the board between Jalen and Chris Bosh:


  17. #17
    Believe. JuneJive's Avatar
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    He will most likely be there @11.

    I really think he is pretty high up on the Spurs board.

    He's got a pretty impressive skillset and not a lot of flaws.

  18. #18
    You Are Not Worthy ZeusWillJudge's Avatar
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    My guy. Here's hoping his work ethic will improve his lower body so he can become our future PF. SOMEONE has to replace Aldridge (production-wise) eventually... Might as well do it now while he's young enough to take someone under his wing.

    I could see Jalen becoming a 17 ppg, 10 reb, 2 blocks type player. Maybe not as a rookie, but in a year or two.
    Probably the most hilarious clip I've found on a prospect thus far.

    Damnation! He really is your boy. I feel like I know almost as much about him as I do my wife. His physique reminds me of a young Dwight Howard - is he really only 225 lbs.?

    I like the clip with him talking trash with the fans. I don't want someone who climbs up into the stands or anything, but I'm tired of this team being soft. Of course, he'd wind up in the doghouse like Bertans.

  19. #19
    Veteran Dejounte's Avatar
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    Damnation! He really is your boy. I feel like I know almost as much about him as I do my wife. His physique reminds me of a young Dwight Howard - is he really only 225 lbs.?
    Lmfao

    I like the clip with him talking trash with the fans. I don't want someone who climbs up into the stands or anything, but I'm tired of this team being soft. Of course, he'd wind up in the doghouse like Bertans.
    It's almost as good as this:


  20. #20
    Veteran Sugus's Avatar
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    After watching more than a couple games on Smith per Dejounte's suggestions, this guy is legit. It's between him and Precious for "my guy", I'd be stoked to land any one of them for different reasons.

    Smith just has so many tools that are valuable in the modern NBA... Starting with his shooting. It's for real, and very versatile. He has minor things to work on there but he's really comfortable letting it fly from any point of the 3pt line, doesn't shy away from shooting like so many of the Spurs players do and which is actually nerve-wracking to see. I also think he's a very smart player and, if coupled with a good passing guard that can play the PnR with him and also feed him near the rim (ahem, White...), he's gonna produce a lot of easy looks for the team that they currently lack and Poeltl will never provide. I would like to see him play the 4 and small-ball 5 but it'd be fine if he was deemed a full-time 5; he's just one of those players that you want to have on the court, no matter where.

    As others mentioned already, his energy is also eye-catching and infectious. Let this guy run around with Keldon and our young guys... That's just havoc waiting to be wrecked. I can already see a lineup that goes something like White-Dejounte-Lonnie-Keldon-Jalen as a small-ball unit that runs out the other team, is active on both ends of the court, hustles and shoots at every position. That's a perfectly modern team, a great transition off the DD-LMA midrange ISO heavy era, and a step forward into the new NBA.

    Still, I would explore a trade-down with the Celtics. I doubt he's gonna be gone at #14, and Spurs could really use an extra first-round pick. But I'd be content with any outcome that turns him into a Spur. I'm a believer.

  21. #21
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    One question do you think him and Luka could play together full time and who would you see playing Center and Power Forward?

  22. #22
    ಥ﹏ಥ DAF86's Avatar
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    Probably the most hilarious clip I've found on a prospect thus far:

    That's not even Smith's most hilarious clip. The one where he's being tackled by the ref is, tbh.

  23. #23
    Veteran Sugus's Avatar
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    One question do you think him and Luka could play together full time and who would you see playing Center and Power Forward?
    Maybe I'm not the person you asked this, but I could perfectly see them sharing the court (if Luka pans out, that is, right now he's ready for little more than riding the bench). In fact, I'd say their abilities and strengths compliment each other's quite well: Smith is a rebounding machine, shot-blocker, rim protector, can stretch the floor, can be a roll-man on the PnR or shooter on the PnP, dunks with authority and finishes above the rim; but on the other hand, he doesn't really have handles that can break a defense down nor playmaking instincts. Luka, meanwhile, is (projected to be) also a shooter, but he's more quick, nimble, a miles better handler with the ball, has a higher ceiling as a passer; but he's not a rebounder at all, doesn't play the toughest D or close to it, doesn't really finish at the rim with strength or play above the rim.

    So the synergy in terms of skill-set is pretty much there, the way I see it. Of course, Luka would be the PF and Smith the C, just based off both players' defensive prowess but also due to Smith being taller and longer, if I'm not mistaken. Luka doesn't have anywhere near the strength or size to play full-time C, I see him as a strict 4, whilst Smith could slide from 4 to 5 (perhaps even 3?) depending on the lineups and matchup. And I gotta say, the allure of having both a stretch-4 and stretch-5 is immense. Definitely the way the league is trending and will be trending for the foreseeable future, and it'd give us so much more spacing and shot opportunities that just aren't there right now when we play Poeltl, pretty much a zero on offense, and... The corpse of Rudy Gay at the 4. Yuck. Gimme developed Samanic + Smith any day of the week, tbh.

  24. #24
    5. timvp's Avatar
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    I see Jalen as being a mix of Raptors' Chris Bosh (his offense) with Pascal Siakam (body type, some of the speed and mobility). Heat Bosh shot more fadeaways and mid-range J's, so I chose the Raptors version of him.
    I'm higher on Jalen than most but I don't see that at all, tbh. Siakam has elite fluidity for his size, while fluidity is one of Jalen's biggest issues. Bosh was a top prospect in high school, super polished as an 18-year-old freshman in college, had elite touch from day one and had a body that allowed him to be a post-up threat.

    IMO, Jalen at his best will be a third option on offense who relies on others to create for him. It looks like he'll be useful in the right system but I don't see any star qualities like were apparent with Bosh on Day 1.

  25. #25
    Spurs Sage Russ's Avatar
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    I'm higher on Jalen than most but I don't see that at all, tbh. Siakam has elite fluidity for his size, while fluidity is one of Jalen's biggest issues. Bosh was a top prospect in high school, super polished as an 18-year-old freshman in college, had elite touch from day one and had a body that allowed him to be a post-up threat.

    IMO, Jalen at his best will be a third option on offense who relies on others to create for him. It looks like he'll be useful in the right system but I don't see any star qualities like were apparent with Bosh on Day 1.
    I agree. Smith looks like a nice player but comparisons to Siakam or Chris Bosh are a bit much.

    Smith just doesn't have the speed or quickness of a thoroughbred. It may be overly harsh, but he looks like the type of player who may be better in college than the pros.

    As for comparing college stats with Okongwu or Wiseman (although I realize he wasn't included in the comparison grid yet), those guys are freshmen and about a year younger than Smith.

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