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Indiana Basketball: Justin Smith’s path to the NBA

By Trevor Gersmehl

BLOOMINGTON, IN - FEBRUARY 23: Justin Smith #3 of the Indiana Hoosiers brings the ball up court during the game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Assembly Hall on February 23, 2020 in Bloomington, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
BLOOMINGTON, IN - FEBRUARY 23: Justin Smith #3 of the Indiana Hoosiers brings the ball up court during the game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Assembly Hall on February 23, 2020 in Bloomington, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /
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NBA Comparison

The best version of Justin Smith plays nearly identically to former Gonzaga standout and current Memphis Grizzlies’ forward Brandon Clarke. Clarke is a guy with athletic upside just like Smith: 6’8,” 210lbs, and springy. I absolutely loved Clarke coming out of college, and he was undoubtedly the most promising rookie in the NBA this season behind Zion Williamson and Ja Morant.

Before he transferred to Gonzaga, Clarke was a horrible shooter with ugly form. However, he changed his form a lot over his sit-out year due to transfer, and although he still shot poorly in his sole season at Gonzaga, the foundation was there. Just a year later, Clarke shot 40% from three as a rookie for the Memphis Grizzlies.

Shooting transformation for Justin Smith is possible, but he needs to change his form quite a bit. Otherwise, there’s no chance he plays in the NBA.

Defensively, Smith needs to commit to being a lockdown defender at all times. Brandon Clarke’s combination of size and speed gives him the ability to guard every position on the basketball court. Smith could do the same if he really battened down the hatches every game.

Picture-Perfect Scenario

Justin Smith uses the summer to practice shooting over and over and over again. He gets coaching to help smooth out his release and he now finds it much easier to shoot from distance. However, he is still hesitant to shoot from deep in games and only attempts two per game, but manages to convert on 32% of them, the best mark of his career.

Additionally, Smith proves he’s willing to do the dirty work on defense. He ups his rebounding numbers to 6.5 per game and makes First Team All-Defense in the Big Ten. He shines in the NCAA tournament and gets noticed for his phenomenal defensive effort at the highest stage.

Next. Indiana Basketball: Class of 2020(1) Breakdown – Khristian Lander. dark

Despite the holes in his game and low basketball IQ, a team takes a chance on Smith in the early-mid second round. They hope that they can groom him into a switchable 3-and-D player and eventually have a valuable asset.

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