Magic Target Jabari Smith: The Next Giannis?

Smith worked out for the Magic Thursday.
Magic Target Jabari Smith: The Next Giannis?
Magic Target Jabari Smith: The Next Giannis? /

Jabari Smith Jr. is the odds on favorite to be called as the No. 1 pick when the NBA Draft takes place later this month.

With the Orlando Magic holding the No. 1 pick, Smith worked out for the team in Central Florida Thursday for about two hours.

Smith met with the media Thursday to answer questions on his future, including one from 96.9 The Game's Brandon Kravitz on which player he compares himself to stylistically.

Smith says he likes to look at a lot of player's games, but named three in particular.

"It'll be hard for me to choose one player because I try to take something from everybody," Smith said. "But I like to watch guys who do a lot, like Giannis [Antetokounmpo] on the defensive end, Jayson Tatum, Kevin Durant of course, just watching guys that can do a lot and aren't limited."

Antetokounmpo, an All-NBA defender for the past four years and the 2020 Defensive Player of the Year, is probably the ideal player to study if you want to become a great defender.

Smith's 6-10 size is similar to Antetokounmpo's 6-11 frame and if everything goes right, perhaps Smith could reach The Greek Freak's levels.

His lateral quickness combined with his decision making allows him to stay in front of smaller guards attempting to blow past him. In a league that values a player's basketball IQ when guarding the pick-and-roll; Smith would pass the test with ease, more often than not making the correct read and being patient.

We’re less than two weeks away from seeing which direction the Magic decide to go in the draft.


Published
Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.