Philadelphia 76ers head coach Brett Brown has praised Zhaire Smith a lot, comparing him to Kawhi Leonard and calling him a “pogo stick“. However, the Philadelphia 76ers coach buried on the bench during the preseason. The dichotomy between words and actions are confusing.
The foot injury and then severe allergic reaction suffered by Zhaire Smith last year were a blow to the 76ers defensive capabilities. He’s was just a rookie, with a lot of work still needed on his ball handling and shooting skills. The 6-foot-4 Texas Tech product was at least expected to contribute as a lock-down defender off the bench.