If there was one unexpected arrival into the top 20 of the 2018 NBA Draft class, it certainly was Texas Tech’s Zhaire Smith. After showing supreme athleticism alongside budding two-way skills, Smith became the first ever one-and-done prospect for head coach Chris Beard’s program in Lubbock. All of the sudden, Smith went from unknown to likely lottery selection in 12 months time.
The only first round prospects to come close to Smith’s eye-popping defensive advanced stats via above-average steal (2.3%) and block percentages (4.8%) are Maurice Harkless and Derrick White. Smith’s archetype is rare, and it’s helped by his insane athleticism.