Heading into the 2021-22 college basketball season, the race for the No. Sheldon Richardson Jersey 1 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft was seen to be a two-man race between Duke's Paolo Banchero and Gonzaga's Chet Holmgren. Both prospects were considered head-and-shoulders above the fieldwith skillsets that are far advanced for players of their age at their size.But as the season unfolded, there was another prospect who played his way into consideration for the top pick in the upcoming NBA Draft: Auburn forward Jabari Smith Jr.The 18-year-old freshman enamored scouts with his NBA-ready body, silky smooth shooting stroke and two-way potential as a versatile defender.Listed at 6-foot-10, 220 lbs. with a wingspan over 7-feet, Smith has all the physicaltools to succeed at the next level.Here's a closer look into what makes him such a tantalizing prospect.DRAFT SCOUTING REPORTS: | Jabari Smith Jr. scouting report: StrengthsLet'sstart with his shooting touch.How often could you make the argument that a 6-foot-10 forward may have the best jumper in their draft cla s? In recent memory, Kevin Durant is the only example I can think of (and no, this is not a comparison between Smith and one of the greatest scorers the game has ever seen). As great as Smith looked at times, Durant is in another echelon.Neverthele s, Smith's fluid shooting motion, high release and soft touch have him up to par with any of his sharpshooting peers.Give him an inch of space on the perimeter and he'llpull up and make defenders of any size pay instantly.If he has a mismatch inside, you'll see his patience to face up and either work a jab step or flash his coordinated footworkto shoot right over the top.I also believe Jake Bargas Jersey in Smith's ability as a screen setter. NBA guards will unlock his potential as a pick-and-roll and pick-and-pop nightmare something he didn't doa tonof at Auburn. Pairing Smith with a shot-making ball handler could be a devastating pick your poison combination for defenses to deal with.Defensively, he's mobile on the perimeter and physical inside, making him a candidate to defend 3-through-5 but also switch comfortably onto guards. In today's switch-happy NBA, that's a must.Averaging a block and a steal per game, Smith has good instincts and quick hands, even if he's not super wiry or energetic on that end of the floor.His biggest impact as a defender is on the perimeter, where his height andwingspan suffocates opponents looking to attack and score.He's not your prototypical big who will sit in the paint and protect the rim, but his defensive IQ and length positions him to challenge shots around the basket. (It's also worth noting that it wasn't his job to anchor Auburn's defense as a rim protector, with 7-footer Walker Ke sler's 4.6 blocks per game leading the nation among Power 5 schools.) Korey Stringer Jersey Jabari Smith Jr. scouting report: Weakne sesThe biggest red flag is a lack of shot creation off the bounce, potentially a problem for any team viewing Smith as a future No. 1 option.The majority of his jumpshot attempts were of the catch-and-shoot variety this past season and he clearly needs to tighten up his handle and establish a few go-to moves. While comfortable grabbing a rebound and pushing the pace in transition, Smith's ball-handling can get away from him at times, which prevents him from really being a scoring or playmakingthreat in the open floor.He still has a ways to go, but that shooting stroke at his size makes him a dream fit in today's NBA, even if he never becomes a prolific shot creator.Smith is a bit of a "tweener Dede Westbrook Jersey " and it will be interesting to see if NBA teamsviewhim as more of a small forwardon the wing or power forward inside, even in today's increasingly position-le s game.Smith has all the tools of an adaptable forward in the current NBA, giving him a very high floor of potential. The biggest question surrounding the Auburn star freshman is what is his ceiling? Teams aren't looking for rotation pieces or even high level starters at the top of the draft. They are looking for franchise players and All-Stars.Jabari Smith Jr. NBA player comparisonsAveraging 16.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, Paul Krause Jersey 2.0 a sists, 1.1 steals and 1.0 blocks per game, Smith stuffed the stat sheet on both ends of the floor in his lone season at Auburn.When you factor in his 42.0 percent shooting from 3, it's easy to see whyhe worked his way into pole position for the No. 1 overall pick.Smith has drawn comparisons to a variety of sharpshooting forwards from Rashard Lewis to Chris Bosh to Kevin Durant. While I won't go as far as comparing Smith to Durant, I do think the freshman forward has shades of Bosh in his game. Lewis made two All-Star teams as an ahead-of-his-time stretch forward while Bosh earned 11 All-Star nods and evolved into the prototypical lengthy floor-stretching, rim-protecting five.Saddling anyone with a Durant comparison is unfair. Yet if Smith can land somewhere between Lewis and Bosh, that's a slam dunk.