By JACOB POLACHECK
Jai Smith, the 6-foot-9, 235-pound small forward from Bull City (NC) Prep, is nearing a college decision.
“April, after I take visits,” he said in an interview with ZAGSBLOG Thursday evening. “I’m going to plan visits to all of the schools that I’m really considering going to, but I can’t really say which schools because that’s going to be my Top Five.”
Smith listed Memphis, Illinois, Florida, Houston and Kansas as the five schools in contact the most currently.
“It’s going to come down to who has the best opportunity for me overall,” he said.
Smith broke down each school:
Memphis: “They want me to be a three, four type of player. I love Memphis a lot. They’re a pretty good school.”
Illinois: “Same as Memphis.”
Florida: “They’re just a good academic school. I like that about them.”
Houston: “They would help me develop my game as a pro four.”
Kansas: “Kansas can help me be more of a pro. They can help me get to the draft and get that type of development. The coaches think I can be a great, great player as a stretch big that can shoot the ball and play hard.”
Ranked by 247Sports.com as the No. 29 power forward in the Class of 2022, Smith is coming off a junior season in which he averaged 25 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists per game.
“I’ve become more of a stretch big,” he said. “Because I’m tall and strong, people don’t expect me to be as fast and mobile as I am, especially at 235 (pounds).
Photo: Grace Sorrels/Griffinz
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