Zhaire Smith Hires Agent, Will Stay In NBA Draft

Texas Tech true freshman forward Zhaire Smith has hired an agent and will remain in the NBA Draft ending his career at Texas Tech after one season.

After graduating five seniors, everyone knew the Texas Tech basketball team would look vastly different next season.  Now, that reality has become even more stark as true freshman forward Zhaire Smith has hired an agent, ending any chance that he could return to Texas Tech.

The news is hardly a shock as Smith has seen his stock skyrocket since the start of the season.  After being completely off the NBA radar entering the season, Smith is now a strong candidate to be an NBA lottery pick this summer.

Thanks to his unbelievable athleticism that resulted in highlight dunks and other-worldly defensive play, Smith has risen to as high as No. 11 in some draft projections.  Thus, it is no surprise that the Garland, Texas native is headed to greener pastures.

Coming out of high school, Smith was a three-star prospect rated No.194 in the country.   But the stellar season Texas Tech put together, including its deep NCAA Tournament run, brought notoriety and attention to the Red Raiders and no player benefited from that more than Zhaire Smith.

The loss leaves the 2018-19 Texas Tech basketball team without five of its top six scorers from this season.   Sophomore-to-be Jarrett Culver and his 11.2 points per game is the only current member of the roster to average over 5.1 points per game this year.

To make up for the loss of Zhaire Smith, Texas Tech coach Chris Beard could continue to mine the grad transfer market.  After already signing St. Johns big man transfer Tariq Owens, Tech remains active in courting seniors who could play next season.

The Red Raiders are heavily in the mix for South Dakota forward Matt Mooney who scored over 18 points per game last season.  But no individual player, no matter how talented, will be able to do everything Zhaire Smith did.

In fact, scoring might be the least of Texas Tech’s concerns next season. If Moore comes to Lubbock, he would join talented freshmen Khavon Moore and Kyler Edwards (two of the highest rated freshmen to ever sign with Texas Tech) as players that can put the ball in the basket.

But it will be on defense where Tech could struggle to replace Zhaire Smith.  Able to guard any position from point guard to power forward, Smith was asked to guard the opposition’s best player virtually every night.  There does not appear to be any player on the roster or in play to be added to the team this summer who can do that, meaning Tech’s defense might be far less versatile next season.

Next: Texas Tech In Top 5 For Matt Mooney

If there is one positive for Texas Tech, it is that Chris Beard will be able to sell recruits on the fact that he took a relatively un-known recruit and shaped him into a lottery pick in just one year.  Still, this is a huge loss for Texas Tech and its fans.  Keep checking in with Wreck’Em Red for updates on how Tech will replace Zhaire Smith.