Our names to know series is a quick snapshot of new and/or younger prospects emerging on Indiana’s radar.
Indiana is involved with one of the fastest risers in the class of 2022.
After a strong showing this summer and fall, IU has joined several high major programs in the recruitment of forward Jai Smith.
Smith confirmed to The Daily Hoosier Indiana’s interest after an earlier report on Sunday by Jake Weingarten of Stock Risers. Smith told The Daily Hoosier that he talks directly with head coach Archie Miller.
The 6-foot-9 and 235 pound Smith is a three-star recruit who is ranked No. 161 according to the 247Sports Composite. When you see what has been going on with his recruitment in recent months, you’ll see why a major jump in the rankings appears likely.
A Syracuse, New York native, Smith has spent several years in Raleigh, North Carolina. Along those lines, Smith is bouncing from the northeast to the southeast for his junior season of high school basketball.
A versatile and modern forward, Smith averaged around 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists last season for St. Thomas More in Connecticut based on reports by multiple outlets.
Smith will play for Bull City Prep Academy in Durham, N.C. for the 2020-21 season. He plays AAU basketball for the City Rocks program on the Nike EYBL circuit.
On film Smith plays with a hard-nosed style, runs the floor well, is a willing defender, and he is a handful scoring in the paint.
Formerly in the class of 2021, Smith reclassified to 2022 to further his development.
That is a move that has paid off this summer and fall. So much so that reclassifying back to 2021 is at least on the table according to some reports.
Smith has around 17 high major offers, with many of them coming over the last few months. Indiana has not offered to this point. The Hoosiers join North Carolina, Duke, and Kansas as some of the more recent high profile programs that have started recruiting Smith to various degrees more recently.
Smith has stated in multiple reports that he is looking at a spring timeline with the hope that he can take visits first.
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