NBA Draft 2020 Prospect Watch: Jalen Smith

COLLEGE PARK, MD – MARCH 08: (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)

Our latest look at the 2020 NBA Draft revolves around the game of Maryland sophomore big man, Jalen Smith, who possesses a skill-set fit for the modern NBA.

Before his sophomore season came to a screeching halt due to the coronavirus outbreak, Jalen Smith’s play provided him the perfect launching pad leading up to the 2020 NBA Draft.

The 20-year-old declared for the draft earlier this week and didn’t leave the door open to return back to school or retain his college eligibility as he hired an agent in the process.

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Smith emerged as Maryland’s best all-around player this season as he helped lead the Terrapins to a 24-7 record, all doing so while playing out of position and forced to play as their starting center as head coach Mark Turgeon explained to The Athletic’s Patrick Stevens midway through the year:

"“It’s amazing what he’s doing,” coach Mark Turgeon said. “I kept saying all summer he was going to be our four. Our team looked totally different than it does now. He’s had to do it. I think he had to accept it. He didn’t like it at first.”"

And just as his performance and impact rose for the Terrapins as the season continued, so did his draft stock and chances of becoming a first round pick this offseason. Now Smith officially has his sights set on the NBA where he’ll look to lay the next steps in growing his game even further.

In his 31 appearances for the Terrapins this season, Smith averaged 15.5 points on .538/.368/.750 shooting splits, 10.5 rebounds and 2.4 blocks across 31.3 minutes per contest.

So without further ado, let’s dive into the strengths and weaknesses of Jalen Smith’s game, see where draft experts currently rate him, and examine his potential fit with the Milwaukee Bucks.