Hoop Summit: J.R. Smith

Evaluation:

J.R. Smith, who is poised to rise to the No 8 spot in the soon to be released updated version of the Rivals150, can certainly score the basketball. He can shoot it from deep (real deep), get out in transition, and attack the basket. The 6-foot-6, 220-pound small forward/shooting guard scored 17 points in the Hoop Summit game. He was 7 of 15 from the field but only 3 of 11 from the arc and 0 of 2 from the free throw line.

These numbers, however, highlight some of the questions concerning Smith’s scoring ability. For one, Smith is such a talented shooter and exceptional athlete, he tends to be sloppy with his shooting mechanics. For instance, on his first field goal attempt of the game, he came off a screen to behind the arc and shot an unguarded fade away three pointer. At other times, he fails to hold his follow through. Secondly, with his seemingly endless range, he appears compelled to hoist up at least a couple shots per game that are less than percentage attempts.

On Smith’s 4 of 4 from inside the arc, every shot was either a dunk or a lay-in at the rim. In other words, the verdict is still out on Smith’s midrange game. Now he certainly attacked the rim on a couple of his dunks with NBA prowess. On one of them, he started left from the wing, crisply crossed over, and dunked without mercy on 6-foot-11, 275-pound Michael Schroeder of Germany. Smith never, however, attacked the rim or even the midrange area with his left hand. He always looked for the quick pull from behind the arc when the ball was in his left hand.

The other notable aspect of Smith’s stat line is that he had zero assists, turnovers, blocks, or steals in 25 minutes of play. With all his athleticism, he only grabbed 2 rebounds.

Defensively, Smith flat out struggled in guarding Xavier bound Churchill Odia. Odia more than once got Smith in the air with shot fakes and then scored off the bounce. Smith also appeared less than excited about fighting through screens off the ball. Now, when Smith faced a much physically weaker opponent, he was able to lock him up as long as he did not have to go through a screen.

Despite all the noted shortcomings in Smith’s game, he is still a legitimate NBA prospect for two reasons, his shooting range and athleticism. Smith can stretch the defense well beyond the NBA three point line, giving him a valuable niche in any league. And if he disciplines his shot, he could be a very consistent deep threat. With his athleticism and NBA type body, he has the potential to turn any of his weaknesses into strengths. He may not be a complete player yet- how many players in any league are?- but he has the potential to one day be a complete player. And as of now, he is as athletic and deep shooting player as there is in the amateur ranks.

Sound Bites:

When asked about the possibility of entering the draft, Smith said, “As of right now, I am not sure. I have to go home and talk to my family.”

Commenting on his strengths and weakness as a player, Smith said, “Offense is my strength. I am seen as on offensive player, but I don’t want to be seen as just an offensive player.”