Bruce Pearl explains why Jabari Smith Jr. is a ‘no-brainer’ top-3 NBA Draft pick

Bruce Pearl and the Auburn Tigers are having a special 2021-22 season. Currently, they’re No. 3 in the country. Earlier this year, they reached No. 1 for the first time in program history.

A big part of the Tigers’ success is star freshman Jabari Smith Jr., who is being projected as a potential No. 1 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.

Appearing on “Jalen & Jacoby” on ESPN recently, Pearl explained why any NBA team would be lucky to have Smith (via 247Sports):

“J-Rose listen, there’s not even any discussion on whether he should or shouldn’t go,” Pearl said. “For me, my feel is just, if you can go in the first round and they’re willing to invest in you as a first round pick, you need to go. … You need to get the hell up out of here. That’s what I think. He’s a top three guy for sure. He’s the best jump shooter at his size in college basketball that I’ve seen in years. That matters at the next level. He can guard multiple positions. That matters at the next level. And he’s not afraid of the moment. He’s 18 years old and he’s got a toughness to him. He’s got a swagger about him. This one’s a guarantee no-brainer.”

Why is Smith so good? Pearl explains where Smith is at now and how much more room he has to grow:

“Well, I think he’s got a chance to have a really good rip game because his first step is quick and he can go by you,” Pearl said. “Now as for the second and the third dribble and a little bit more strength and size to be able to score through contact, that’s going to come. He’s an unselfish player so he’s also got a chance to be a good playmaker for others. He came to us at about 198 (pounds). He’s 220, 223 right now so he’s put on 25 really good ones. You look at that frame and he’s going to be able to put on a lot more. So when you add that power to his game with what he already has, I just think that will just be able to check off all the boxes. If he can see it, he can make it. He can make them contested as well.”

Now, the only question is: how far can Smith lead the Tigers this postseason before he gets his pro career started?

Here’s Pearl’s full appearance on “Jalen & Jacoby”:

Adam Spencer

Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.