Maryland Forward Jalen Smith Declares For NBA Draft
COLLEGE PARK, Md. (WJZ) -- Maryland Terrapins sophomore forward Jalen Smith has declared for the NBA Draft. In a message posted to his Twitter account Tuesday, Smith thanked the fans, coaching staff and his teammates saying that now is the right time for him to test the waters and make the leap to the NBA.
Rock Wit Me???????????? pic.twitter.com/oPNTwWQMJ6
— Jalen Smith (@thejalen_smith) April 7, 2020
The 6-foot-10, 225-pound forward averaged a double-double for the season with 15.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game while starting all 31 games for the Terps. The increase in points per game came as a result of an improved shooting stroke that saw the sophomore knock down 36% of his threes and 75% of his attempts from the free-throw line.
A former five-star recruit out of Mount Saint Joseph High School in Baltimore, Smith is ranked as the 29th best prospect in the class according to CBSSports.com. In his two years with the Terps, he helped lead Mark Turgeon's squad to a combined 47 wins and a share of first place in the Big Ten this season.