Texas Basketball: 3 most painful Shaka Smart recruiting misses

It’s very easy to look back on missing out on a prospect like SGA for Smart and the Longhorns and blaming them for missing out on a lot of success in the win column. However, it’s more challenging to prove that the Longhorns really at the time could’ve projected what former three-star wing recruit Zhaire Smith was going to do under head coach Chris Beard with the Texas Tech Red Raiders two seasons ago.

During his one season with the Texas Tech basketball program, Smith averaged 11.3 points per game, 5.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.1 blocks, while shooting a whopping 55.6 percent from the field and 45.0 percent from beyond the arc. He was insanely efficient playing his one season in Lubbock, posting a sparkling 128.7 offensive rating and 95.1 defensive rating.

Smith would also registered a 12.0 box plus/minus rating, .212 win shares per 40 minutes, 23.0 player efficiency rating, and 61.8 true shooting percentage. He was an absolute stud for the Red Raiders back during the 2017-18 campaign.

Coming out of Lakeview Centennial High School in Garland, TX, Smith ranked as the nation’s No. 194 2017 high school prospect, No. 40 shooting guard, and No. 15 prospect out of Texas (247Sports Composite).

The final set of 247Sports Crystal Ball Predictions prior to Smith announcing his commitment to Texas Tech would have all three experts picking him to choose the Longhorns instead. This would wind up being a huge win for Texas Tech over Texas in the end.

Other key offers that Smith held came from the Arkansas Razorbacks, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Kansas State Wildcats, Memphis Tigers, and Tulsa Golden Hurricane.