It was a move that everyone saw coming so it came as no surprise to see [autotag]Jabari Smith[/autotag] officially put an end to his brief Auburn Tigers career.
The standout freshman was a key cog to the 2021-22 team that was viewed as a No. 1 seed and reached the AP No. 1 spot for the first time in school history. He was named the national freshman of the year and now prepares to follow in his father’s footsteps and head to the NBA.
Recent mock drafts view Smith as the No. 1 or No. 2 selection, likely battling it out with fellow forward Chet Holmgren of Gonzaga. There was some hope that both teams would reach the Final Four setting up a potential matchup between the future top picks of the NBA draft. However, both teams fell below expectations. Auburn fell in the round of 32 and the Arkansas Razorbacks ended the Zag’s run a bit early.
Perhaps we will see Jabari Smith battle Chet Holmgren in the NBA in the very near future. With that being said, Smith took to social media to share his NBA draft declaration with the phrase, “Auburn will forever be my home.”
War Eagle🦅 https://t.co/F4PZn2TWD5
— Jabari Smith Jr (@jabarismithll) April 5, 2022
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