I know the expert's consensus is that this was a pretty good value, so I'll try to temper my POV accordingly, but... I absolutely hate this pick, especially with Randle available.
As a K-State alumn, I watch an unconscionable amount of Big 12 hoops, and was really underwhelmed by Smart. I just can't fathom the anecdote posted upthread that he could project as a better defender than Wiggins.
What I saw from Smart is a player who is strong, explosive and tenacious on both ends of the court, but also highly erratic and extremely temperamental. (The latter is more about his on-court demeanor than his dust-up with a fan.) In college, he was a slasher, not a distributor; and while the traditional PG archetype matters now less than ever, he's not a guy you want to run an offense through. On the other hand, there aren't many successful undersized two-guards with not only a poor shot, but poor shot selection instincts.
Again, folks with more cred than I have seem to like the pick. I just can't envision a realistic development trajectory where he becomes an All-Star. That disappoints me, given the available alternatives.
As a K-State alumn, I watch an unconscionable amount of Big 12 hoops, and was really underwhelmed by Smart. I just can't fathom the anecdote posted upthread that he could project as a better defender than Wiggins.
What I saw from Smart is a player who is strong, explosive and tenacious on both ends of the court, but also highly erratic and extremely temperamental. (The latter is more about his on-court demeanor than his dust-up with a fan.) In college, he was a slasher, not a distributor; and while the traditional PG archetype matters now less than ever, he's not a guy you want to run an offense through. On the other hand, there aren't many successful undersized two-guards with not only a poor shot, but poor shot selection instincts.
Again, folks with more cred than I have seem to like the pick. I just can't envision a realistic development trajectory where he becomes an All-Star. That disappoints me, given the available alternatives.