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Maryland’s Jalen Smith selected in 1st round of NBA Draft
By Paul Harvey
Published:
All the hard work for Jalen Smith has paid off.
Smith arrived on campus with the Terrapins as a very skinny big man. But after bulking up and improving his game, Smith has found his home in the NBA.
The Phoenix Suns made the choice, selecting Smith at No. 10 overall in the first round of Wednesday’s draft. Smith becomes the first, first-round draft selection of the Terrapins since Kevin Huerter in 2018.
Smith really made a jump as a sophomore in 2019-20, improving in nearly every stat across the board. He averaged a double-double with 15.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game while also proving to be an elite rim protector with 2.4 blocks per game.
Smith likely slots in as a power forward at the next level, though he could undoubtedly play center for small lineups. At 6-foot-10, Smith runs the floor well and has the ability to shoot from outside after shooting 37% from three-point range as a sophomore.
Best of luck to Smith as he makes the jump and begins his NBA career!
Paul is a lifelong fan and student of all things college football. He has been covering college football since 2017 and the B1G since 2018.