The Indiana Pacers were one of the biggest surprises of the 2017-18 season, as they were able to make the playoffs despite trading Paul George. The return they got for George was questioned at the time, but the Pacers ended up having a great season, and Victor Oladipo looks like he is beginning to reach his potential.
In the playoffs, the Pacers lost a hard-fought series against the LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. While they may have been the better overall team, James had a ridiculous series and was just enough to kick out the Pacers in seven games.
With the 23rd pick, the Pacers will be taking Zhaire Smith from Texas Tech. Like the Pacers, Texas Tech was a surprise in college basketball, and a lot of that had to do with Smith. Despite not being a highly touted prospect out of high school, Smith was a great player
Smith showed a lot of promise on the offensive end of the court, as he can get to the basket rather easily and also shot the ball well from deep. While Smith didn’t shoot a ton of three-point shots, he was very efficient when he did.
As one of the youngest players in the draft, Smith has a lot of potential and would join a talented young group to grow with in Indiana.