On Tuesday Night, the Orlando Magic came out victorious in the NBA Draft Lottery for only the 4th time in franchise history and the first time since 2004. Unlike many drafts of years past, there isn’t necessarily a consensus Number one prospect, so the Magic will have some options. The story from many coming out of the Lottery, would be the opportunity to pair 2021 Magic 1st Round Pick Jalen Suggs, with his former High School teammate Chet Holmgren. The basketball world saw Holmgren’s unique game up close in 2022, as he possesses the skills of some guards, while also being 7 feet tall and having potential as an elite rim protector. At the same time however, this is a Magic team that has fallen victim to the intrigue of a high ceiling center in the past and it hasn’t always worked out. While there is a possibility Chet turns into the next NBA unicorn, Orlando isn’t the place for him to unlock that full potential, despite his former High School teammate in Suggs being there.
Instead, the Magic should look into the guy who is NBA ready, while also having a higher ceiling. That is Jabari Smith from Auburn, and the Magic would be making a major mistake passing on him with the #1 overall pick. Jabari is 6’10” and has a 7-foot-2 wingspan, and put on weight since arriving at Auburn. Jabari projects as someone who could add size and length to lineups without a true center. Looking around at the remaining teams left in the NBA Playoffs, they all have one thing in common. They are not playing a true center in crunch time, and everyone who plays the five, also has the ability to defend on the perimeter. In the year 2022, the most successful NBA teams are not building around their Centers, and it is becoming more and more clear by the day that tough shot makers are what you need. That is exactly what Jabari poses, as NBADraft. Net said Smith was “Among the best pull-up jump shooters in the country, particularly from beyond the arc and just inside the arc. 44% three-point shooter on over 5 attempts per game through 17 games … Has the length and size to elevate above most defenders and knock down jumpers whenever he gets to his spot.” In a draft with no top premier guard, a guy with legitimate size and shot making ability is the guy you need to build your team around.
The Magic currently possess a bevy of length forwards, hoping to establish an elite defense. With guys like Franz Wagner, Wendell Carter Jr, and Mo Bamba already in place, the intrigue of adding a 7-foot shot blocker like Chet can understandably be very appealing. The issue however, is the Magic need a guy who can take over the game by making shots. That is exactly what Jabari does best and why for my money, he is the best player in this year’s draft. Smith can make threes coming off pin down screens, which is not something you usually see from 6-foot-10 guys. He was also very productive from the 3-point wings at Auburn, making 46 of his 99 attempts (46.5 percent) from the right and left wings combined. Smith has some Brandon Ingram in him, with this ability to make jump shots and he already is a better player now, then Ingram was coming out of Duke.
The other thing that really stood out about Smith throughout the season was his appreciation for Auburn. There have been many examples of the son of a former NBA player and guy who is projected to be a top pick will be focused on the NBA and leaving college as quickly as possible. However, the opposite could be said for Smith as it was clear how genuine his love for Auburn really was. Auburn coach Bruce Pearl spoke multiple times throughout the season, how thankful Jabari was for his Auburn experience and just how much the experience of playing College Basketball meant to him. So much so Jabari made it a priority to let Pearl know what his exact plans were, despite it being somewhat of a no brainer. “You think Jabari really needed to come in and tell me he was going to be eligible for the draft? You know, that’s a foregone conclusion,” Pearl said. “Jabari will go in as the best jump-shooting big in college basketball over the last 10 years,” Pearl said. “He demonstrated he could guard one through five, and he’s tough. And he’s mentally tough, too. And he’s confident. And he did it on a big stage. He’s not afraid of the moment. He’ll get stronger as he gets older. He’s 18 years old.”
The other option that many have considered to be a candidate to go number one overall, was Jaden Ivey of Purdue. The appeal of Ivey is clear, as every time he tools the floor last season, there were a handful of moments that made your jaw drop. With the Magic already possessing guys like Cole Anthony and Jalen Suggs who can really handle the ball, Ivey’s fit in Orlando might not be ideal. Although he’s not a natural Point Guard, he’s also not big enough to be a forward and doesn’t jump off the charts as a natural shooting guard. The point being is, there is no clear answer on where Ivey fits best on an NBA floor. In addition, Ivey’s performances in the biggest games of the season didn’t necessarily jump off the charts. Early in the College Basketball season, Purdue was being hyped up to many as a potential National Championship contender and Ivey was a big reason why. Although the numbers look impressive, and insane athleticism, Ivey just isn’t necessarily as skilled as some of the other guys in the top of this draft class and I’d have some major hesitancy taking him number one overall.
The other name in the conversation to go number one overall, would be Paolo Banchero of Duke. While Paolo might not be the most skilled player in this draft, he might be the one that is the most NBA ready right now and the one thing the Orlando Magic needs to do in the worst way possible, is make themselves relevant. This is a franchise that hasn’t won a playoff series since 2010 and has been picked in the top 10 of the NBA in seven of the last 10 years. There is a legitimate argument to be made that Banchero is the most NBA ready out of any prospect right and could help the Magic most from day 1. Banchero helped lead Duke all the way to the Final 4, to conclude the legendary coaching career of Mike Krzyzewski.
With that being said, the other thing you are going to be looking for in a #1 overall pick is a hard worker. That is exactly the attitude Smith has, according to Pearl. “Jabari is the best I’ve ever coached… he was up at six o’clock, five days a week in high school, for three years with his coach. When everyone else wasn’t out of bed yet… he’s put himself in this position to be successful. He is as good of a jump shooter that I’ve seen in college basketball in a long, long time. He’s also been a great teammate. By the way, he’s still only eighteen… Jabari is loving his time at Auburn, and he’s only getting bigger, stronger, and better, and yes, he is the focal point of what we do.”
With all of this in mind, Smith should be the #1 pick in this year’s draft due to his hard work ethic, ability to make tough shots and lead the Magic to relevancy for the first time since 2010.
Zac Krull has covered College Basketball for the last 2 years while working with Aaron Torres of Aaron Torres Media and recording his own Zac Krull Sports Podcast. Currently, Zac is writing as a contributor for Aaron Torres online with weekly articles and working as a producer for the BETQL Network. Zac graduated from SUNY Cortland in 2021 with a degree in Sports Studies.