2024 big Jaden Smith chooses Arizona State

October 27, 2023 by Max Feldman

THE LEAD

Jaden Smith, 6-10 big man out of Kenwood (IL), has committed to Arizona State. The Sun Devils beat out DePaul, Loyola Chicago, Fordham and Dayton for the Chicago native's services.

BACKGROUND

Smith has been well-regarded in Chicago since early in his high school career, drawing intrigue with his physical tools and ability to run the floor. Similar to many bigs, he's taken time to develop and put the pieces together, but he came on strong late last season with Kenwood and carried the momentum into a nice spring with Mac Irvin. Smith finished 3rd overall in blocks per game in the EYCL (2.3). The relationship with Nick Irvin wound up being instrumental in securing Smith, as Vanderbilt, Wisconsin, Georgia Tech and a number of others entered the mix these past few months.

SOUND BITE

Smith on what separated ASU from the pack...

"Throughout the visit I remember telling myself 'this is what I want, this is where I want to be'. They have a great staff under legendary Coach Hurley and they have shown me that ASU is the best option to continue developing my game, play at a high level, and help me reach my dreams of becoming an NBA Pro."

On the on-court fit...

"I think on the court I’ll be able to continue to be a defensive presence, blocking and altering shots, switching through 1-5, rebounding, etc. Offensively I think I’ll be able to show my versatility with my ball handling and shooting ability at my size, posting up, facing up, pick and rolls, pick and pops. Their vision for me is the is pretty much the same as the vision for myself on the court long-term."

WHAT'S NEXT?

Smith is the Sun Devils first commitment in the class of 2024. Now, the focus turns towards Top-100 wing Amier Ali who seems to be inching towards a commitment. Jahki Howard, Adam Njie and Makhan Diouf are a few more names to know as Bobby Hurley and company solidify their recruiting class.

MY TAKE

Smith's development has been vastly impressive over the past year, blossoming from a toolsy big who struggled to play in traffic, consistently seemed a bit late to react and wasn't able to string together consistently positive performances to a reliable rim runner and defensive anchor. Added strength and much improved ball skills have been the catalyst for evolving into a more trusted finisher around the rim, while also being able to hang his hat on the glass. There's a clear understanding of how he can impact the game and a work rate, specifically on the defensive end, that boasts some enticing long-term potential. Plus length, promising instincts defending in drop, the switchability to survive on smaller players in space and impressive overall mobility at his size. The Sun Devils have stockpiled athletes with a surplus of tools and guys who thrive playing in tempo, and Smith fits the bill, especially if he continues to progress at a similar rate.

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