https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RvUaF6bBlEI've been reading a lot of mixed review on the Smart selection at #6, but I'm here to convince you that you should be excited about having him on board. First, let me start by saying he was the right pick; when our time came last night, there was a clear-cut three guys who were head-and-shoulders above the others: Julius Randle, Noah Vonleh, and Smart. Randle and Vonleh both might be more sure things, but neither has the potential to take over a game. Don't get me wrong, I think they'll both be good NBA players, but Randle's game is outdated. Vonleh is a very passive player. And let's face it: we're pretty set at PF right now. If we're drafting a big guy, I don't want another "oh, he could play center, I guess." I want a center.
Which leaves us with Marcus Smart, the controversial but explosive guard. And I say guard because nobody knows whether to call him a PG or SG. But I'm going to give a bit of advice here: look at Smart as a SG and he looks a whole lot better. You've all heard by now that his game has been compared to Dwyane Wade, so I won't go into much detail there. Aside from just being a slasher, and a very strong one, he's also extremely confident, much like Wade. This goes back to what I said above about taking over a game. Randle and Vonleh can't do it, but I really think Smart can. He did it at the collegiate level, and there's nothing that tells me he can't translate that to the NBA level.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxXictCDDqASmart is a monster of an athlete. At the combine, he recorded a faster lane time than John Wall, Russell Westbrook, and Chris Paul. But perhaps even more impressive is that as of yesterday, Smart is the strongest guard in the NBA. Not the strongest rookie, the strongest of any guard in the league. Smart was able to bench 185 lbs 19 times at the combine, good for the third best mark in the entire class, and one of the best among guards historically. He has a 6'9" wingspan - as long as Rajon Rondo and two inches longer than Avery Bradley. He's as tall as Bradley, but weights 47 pounds more coming into the league.
What am I getting at here? Smart is going to be an amazing defender. He may be a little short for the SG spot, but he has the physical tools in every other area to handle most SGs with ease. Another thing: he averaged the most steals of any player selected in the draft at 2.9 per game. Now I'm an Avery Bradley fan, but Marcus Smart is our SG going forward. I don't think he is replacing Rajon Rondo, and I like the look of the two of them in the backcourt.
Some people might not like that backcourt, though. "Rondo can't shoot." "Smart can't shoot." I won't lie, Smart isn't the best three-point shooter statistically; he shot .299 from range in his sophomore season. But his mechanics are right, and when your mechanics are right your shooting will improve.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ktvsgf_3uuEA Marcus Smart post wouldn't be complete without mentioning his maturity. I believe what happened with the pushing of the fan was an isolated incident, and was initiated when the fan used a racial slur. When we're assessing these players, we often forget that they are kids and they are human. Moreover, they are in the heat of a game with emotions running high. Smart is an emotional player, who made a mistake and let his emotion spill over in one case. Nothing else I have seen from him has indicated a lack of maturity; in fact quite the opposite. He has been called one of the most mature college basketball players in this draft. Below he discusses his decision to return for his sophomore season.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRd1Bq9NV9MOh, and I'd rather have an emotional player than a non-emotional one. Emotional players are the ones that change games. See: Kevin Garnett.
TL;DR Marcus Smart is mature, has killer instinct, is a freak athlete, and can exist alongside Rondo. He is a starting guard in this league, a true two-way player, and it wouldn't surprise me if he made a few all-star games.
Go Celtics!
Topic: I'm excited about Smart; you should be too (Read 2359 times)