UNC Basketball Recruiting: Jabari Smith Commits to Auburn

Class of 2021 power forward Jabari Smith chose Auburn over Georgia, Georgia Tech, LSU, North Carolina, and Tennessee.

For the second time in the past two days, North Carolina men’s basketball received bad news on the class of 2021 recruiting front. After not making the final four for small forward Caleb Houstan on Wednesday (Alabama, Duke, Michigan, Virginia), the Tar Heels lost out on Jabari Smith on Friday afternoon.

Smith, a power forward in the class of 2021, chose Auburn over Georgia, Georgia Tech, LSU, North Carolina, and Tennessee.

110 percent committed 🦅🦅🦅 WAR EAGLE. https://t.co/3ISpqcGn3G pic.twitter.com/o4779xTnND

— Jabari Smith Jr (@jabarismithjr) October 9, 2020

To be fair, the Tar Heels were late to the game in Smith’s recruitment, not offering him a scholarship until the middle of July. Even at that point, it appeared that Auburn held at least a slight lead in landing the five-star prospect from Sandy Creek High School in Georgia.

According to the 247 Sports Composite rankings, Smith is ranked fourth nationally, second positionally, and number one in the state of Georgia. This makes him the highest recruit to ever commit to Auburn. He surpasses Mustapha Heron from the class of 2016, who committed to Auburn as the 22 ranked player in the nation

In an evaluation dating January 21, 2020, Josh Gershon, a National Recruiting Analyst for 247 Sports, said of Smith:

“Smith is a face-up four who has continuously grown in height over the last couple of years. He now has good size for the position to go with a still extremely physically immature frame with plenty of room to gain strength. While Smith has a jump hook and can post up, he is most comfortable facing up. He has a smooth stroke with range to the perimeter. Improving athletically and as a passer. Rebounds area well and has made progress as rim protector. Projects as first round pick with normal expected development.”

2021 five-star Jabari Smith has committed to Auburn.

He is the highest ranked recruit to ever choose the Tigers. pic.twitter.com/WKDZBnuguV

— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) October 9, 2020

Best of luck to Jabari Smith and his family as they continue to make plans for his college future.

Stay with AllTarHeels for all your recruiting information. While we won’t update Jabari Smith’s recruitment any longer, we’ll continue to update the recruitment of other North Carolina targets as they unfold.

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