Auburn Tigers big man Jabari Smith has declared for the 2022 NBA Draft and will forgo his remaining college eligibility. He is projected to be a top-three pick in the draft and could go as high as the number one overall pick. There is little chance he falls past the third overall pick. His final college basketball game will be a loss in the NCAA Tournament second round to the Miami Hurricanes. Overall he had a phenomenal season and earned several SEC honors along the way.
“Auburn will forever be my home.” – @jabarismithll #WarEagle pic.twitter.com/36zVCThC91
— Auburn Basketball (@AuburnMBB) April 5, 2022
While with the Auburn Tigers Jabari Smith was named the SEC and NCAA Freshman of the Year. This season he averaged 16.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.0 blocks per game. He paired those numbers with a field goal percentage of 42.9 percent and a three-point percentage of 42 percent. The year didn’t quite end as they had hoped, but it was a stellar season for the future top-five NBA Draft pick. While he appreciates his time with the Auburn Tigers his focus will now shift to preparing himself for being an NBA rookie.
JABARI SMITH THROWS IT DOWN ? #MarchMadness
— Def Pen Sports (@DefPenSports) March 18, 2022
Jabari Smith is in a position where it may largely depend on which teams win the top three picks in the 2022 NBA Draft Lottery. It is widely expected that Smith, Paolo Banchero, and Chet Holmgren will be the top three picks this year in some type of order. Different teams need and value different types of skill sets. There is still some work that Smith can do to improve his stock and standing with teams that will have 2022 NBA Draft Lottery picks. Either way, he is finally headed to the NBA.
