2018 NBA Draft: 5 things to watch in the Sweet 16
By Max Holm
5. Can Zhaire Smith stay hot vs Purdue?
If you haven’t seen Zhaire Smith play, you must live below the rim.
Texas Tech’s bouncy 2-guard has been a stable rock all season long. While he’s just a freshman, Smith has an advanced feel for the game, makes plays on defense and is coming into his own offensively.
After a modest 10 points and eight rebounds in Tech’s first win of the NCAA Tournament, he went into hero mode against Florida. Smith had 18 points, seven assists and nine rebounds. That included shooting 8-for-13 from the field and 2-for-3 from deep.
That’s the kind of performance they’ll need from him against Purdue. Can he deliver and continue to improve his draft stock?