Jalen Smith wasn’t willing to reveal any teams he’d spoken with or worked out for during Thursday’s Zoom call with the media, but the Maryland big man had previously revealed he has spoken with the Nets organization of the 2020 NBA draft.
In doing so, he expressed it’d be “a dream come true to” play with Kevin Durant. Not only does he like the prospect of playing with the star forward, Smith’s interaction with the Nets’ “whole front office” has gone well.
“They’re great guys,” he said on Zoom Thursday. “They just telling me how much film they’ve been watching on me, telling me things that they see I need to improve on and pretty much said they that the main ideal coming into the league is getting ready and just get ready to work. No matter what obstacles are ahead of me gotta be able to hit it hard and make sure that you don’t back down.”
As for what Smith would bring to Brooklyn, he’s expressed Kevin Garnett is someone he always looked up to for his energy and work ethic.
But when it comes to his style of play, Smith studies someone from today’s game.
“I watch a lot of Jaren Jackson Jr.,” he said. “Him being a big with the footwork that he has, being able to guard guards on the defensive end and just being that offensive and defensive player for the [Memphis] Grizzlies.”