Tyler Smith is another NBA draft prospect representing the G-league Ignite program. Smith was arguably the most consistent prospect throughout the year and hopes to hear his name in the first round.
Tyler Smith 2024 NBA Draft Profile
Early Career
Smith began in high school as a top 10 overall recruit for the class of 2023. He then decided to sign his first professional contract with the Overtime Elite program based in Atlanta. For the 2022-2023 season, Smith averaged 15.7 points per game and shared the court with some other top NBA talent. He played alongside currently projected top-10 pick Rob Dillingham, and Amen and Ausar Thompson (4th and 5th overall picks in the 2023 NBA draft) were in the league at the same time as well. For the 2023-2024 season and his final year before becoming draft eligible, Smith chose the G-league Ignite program alongside other NBA draft prospects. While the program experienced a turbulent season leading to its permanent cancellation, Smith was considered a consistent presence. He averaged 13.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game.
Strengths
Smith’s greatest strengths are his perimeter shooting ability and physical profile. He stands at six-foot-ten with a seven-foot-one wingspan while still being a very fluid athlete for his size. Smith also shot 36.4 percent from beyond the arc with great volume at four attempts per game. These measurements combined with good perimeter shooting should give teams more confidence in Smith’s lineup versatility. Athletically and offensively, he could possibly play the three through five positions consistently as he develops.
Smith also showed good use of his length and athleticism as a rim-protector, specifically coming from weak-side help. He isn’t the traditional physical presence in the paint, but he has good timing and length to disrupt interior shots.
Weaknesses
Smith’s major swing factor for NBA effectiveness will mostly come on the defensive side of the ball. He isn’t physically imposing enough to guard bigger centers, but he hasn’t flashed enough ‘switchability’ on the perimeter either. Currently, he doesn’t move fast enough laterally or in his hips to consistently stick with the quicker perimeter players. Also playing into his defensive effectiveness, Smith was just an average rebounder at best when on the floor. He’s a more perimeter-focused player, but to unlock his versatility value for NBA teams, he will need to become a more aggressive and productive rebounder.
Lastly, Smith doesn’t show much in the way of playmaking for others. While this isn’t usually a huge talking point for big men, Smith’s upside could take him to the perimeter. It would be nice to see better assists numbers than 1.3 even if he’s playing the four or five positions. However, it’s very possible the team that drafts Smith may not ask him to carry much of a playmaking load.
NBA Comparison
A lefty forward at six-foot-ten, Smith moves like an NBA wing and has a smooth release on his shooting stroke. His game has shades of Jabari Smith as a more perimeter-focused power forward with plus athleticism. He still needs to show better overall defense, specifically on the perimeter, to reach that ceiling however. If Smith proves the shooting stroke in pre-draft workouts, he could become one of the higher-upside power forwards in this NBA draft class.
2024 NBA Draft Projection
Mid to Late First-Round Pick
