Suns draft Zhaire Smith with 16th pick, send him to Sixers

With the 16th pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, the Phoenix Suns selected Texas Tech shooting guard Zhaire Smith.

Smith was then traded to the Philadelphia 76ers for No. 10 selection Mikal Bridges and a 2021 first-round pick from the Miami Heat, sources told Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports.

The athletic 18-year-old played his way onto the Big 12 All-Defensive Team, helping lead the Red Raiders to an appearance in the Elite Eight before falling to eventual champions Villanova. He averaged 11.3 points, five rebounds, and 1.8 assists on 55.6 percent shooting across 37 outings.

Zhaire Smith Bio

Position: SG/SF
School: Texas Tech
College Experience: Freshman
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 198.6 lbs
Wingspan: 6-foot-10
Max vertical: 41.5 inches

What the analysts are saying

• "Smith needs to continue to develop his ball-handling and perimeter shooting, but he's one of the best athletes in this draft, and his trajectory as a prospect suggests he has considerable upside left."
  - ESPN's Jonathan Givony
• "One of the draft's bigger home-run swings, he’s a jaw-dropping athlete without much of a resume, nor much feel for creating his own offense on the perimeter. He certainly passes the eye test, and has gone from unknown prospect to a virtual lock somewhere in the first round. He could become a high-flying two-way contributor, or he could flame out quickly. Whoever drafts him will need to be patient."
  - Sports Illustrated's Jeremy Woo