OKC Thunder draft prospect profile: Jalen Smith

Pro Comparison:

Kevin O’Connor of the Ringer lists Serge Ibaka, Kelly Olynyk, Thomas Bryant as possible NBA comparisons.

Personally, I think the Bam Adebayo lite is a comparable player given Smith’s defensive chops, work ethic, team focus, and overall character.

I don’t buy the Olynyk comparison because Kelly isn’t noted for his defense and his ballhandling/playmaking is among his best qualities as he was a point guard until a growth spurt.

The Ibaka alignment makes the most sense out of O’Connor’s picks and no the irony of Presti beginning a rebuild by possibly adding an Ibaka-like player isn’t lost on me.

OKC Thunder fit:

What stands out about Jalen Smith is his character. He is a student of the game and more importantly of life. Hearing his Maryland coach talk about him it’s clear how much of an effect Smith made on Turgeon. Consider the fact Turgeon coached Jaren Jackson Jr. and although he spoke highly of JJJ it paled in comparison to how he raved about Smith.

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Smith’s high IQ, discipline, and overall skill set are his best assets but teams who appreciated character will be keen to draft him a few spots higher than teams who don’t put as much stead in personality.

Something tells me he could be a Bam Adebayo lite player. He might not have the same organic physical traits of Bam, but he’s already a decent 3-point shooter, stellar defender and unlike some of the prospects it’s a guarantee Smith will work hard to improve yearly and be a quality teammate.

He’s projected to be selected as high as 17th and as low as 39th. Presti certainly wouldn’t be wasting a pick if he took Smith at 25. The question may come down to whether the Thunder wants to take a risk on a stash pick (Aleksej Pokusevski) or elects more of a sure thing by selecting Smith.

One pick is a risk with the potential for a huge reward, but Presti can’t go wrong if he picks Smith who’ll play immediately and work hard to reach his ceiling.