4 ACC prospects the Toronto Raptors can select in 2022 NBA Draft
By Mike Luciano
3. Terquavion Smith, SG, North Carolina State
Smith’s Wolfpack might have finished at the bottom of the conference, but it was through no fault of his own. Smith averaged 16.4 points per game while making 37% of his 3-point attempts. If nothing else, Smith should be able to come right into the NBA and become a quality shooter.
An offensively creative scorer that can pull up from anywhere and make some challenging shots, Smith showed the ability to get buckets in isolation. With 1.3 steals per game, Smith is active enough on the defensive end to cause turnovers and eventually turn into a net positive on that side.
Terquavion Smith can help the Toronto Raptors offensively.
Smith is concerningly skinny at 160 pounds, so he falls into tweener territory. He’s too frail for wing work and not skilled enough as a passer to run point. After making just 36% of his shots at the rim and showing iffy shot selection, Smith has proven himself to be a player that will need some severe G League reps before he can be trusted with pro minutes.
Smith is going to need some polishing up before he’s ready for primetime, but his floor is actually relatively high. As long as he can stroke it from deep and continues to add weight onto his lean frame, the path towards eeking out a reliable role as a bench gunner is very much in play.
2. Dereon Seabron, PG/SF, North Carolina State
Very rarely does a lousy team like NC State get two deserving pro prospects, but the recently-declared Seabron is a perfect fit for this roster. If you liked the idea of selecting a 6-9 point forward in Dalano Banton last season, you’re going to love the thought of adding the 6-7, 180-pound Seabron to the roster in 2022.
An old-school slasher that plays like his hair is on fire, Seabron averaged 17.3 points and 8.2 rebounds per game last year. With 3.2 assists and 1.4 steals per game, Seabron is one of the few prospects in this class who profiles as both a lob threat in small-ball lineups and a quality ball-handler who can generate offense.
The Toronto Raptors adore players like Dereon Seabron.
Many of the same flaws Banton had in his college career apply to Seabron. With just 1.1 3-point attempts per game and a 25% success rate, Seabron is incredibly raw in this area. That wiry frame will need to bulk up, and his turnover problems will need to subside before Nurse puts him in the rotation.
If the Raptors can turn Barnes and Achiuwa into shooters, they can do the same with Seabron. Considering how he excels in all the areas Nurse and the raptors prioritize on gameday, Seabron should be able to wiggle his way into the game as a backup wing or fill-in ball-handler.