Texas Tech swingman Zhaire Smith has decided to go through the NBA draft process for 2018, he announced today (via Twitter). Smith won’t sign with an agent, giving him the option of withdrawing his name by the NCAA’s May 30 deadline and returning to school for the 2018/19 season.
“I am excited to say that I am going to enter my name in NBA Draft without an agent,” Smith wrote. “I would like to see where I stand after my freshman year. I would like to thank coach [Chris] Beard, my parents, and the best fans in college basketball.”
Smith, 18, had a solid freshman year for the Red Raiders, averaging 11.3 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 1.1 BPG, and 1.1 SPG with a shooting line of .556/.450/.717.
Describing Smith as “long-armed and explosive,” ESPN’s Jonathan Givony recently wrote that the youngster was originally viewed as more of a 2019 draft candidate. That could still ultimately be the case if Smith withdraws from this year’s draft and plays out his sophomore year with Texas Tech. However, he would be one of the best athletes in this year’s class and is considered a potential first-round pick — Givony ranks him 17th overall on ESPN’s big board.