NBA Draft Scouting Report: SMU's Zhuric Phelps
Zhuric Phelps
Guard | SMU
Height: 6'5” | Weight: 195 lbs
2024 Draft Age: 22.11
Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports
Prospect Profile
One of the best players in the AAC last season, Phelps has emerged as a quality two-way guard. He has been a contributor since he walked in the door at SMU, but really broke out as a sophomore.
The 6-foot-5 guard saw a significant increase in role from freshman to sophomore season and really rose to the occasion. While his minutes per game only doubled, his scoring output went up by a multiplier of nearly five.
Although he wasn’t talked about much on a mediocre SMU team, Phelps is a good scorer. However, he needs to be much more efficient considering he shot roughly 40% from floor and 30% from deep last season. He is an improved 3-point shooter relative to his freshman numbers, but still has a long way to go. He’s a very poor free throw shooter, especially for a guard, converting on just 60% of his attempts in both college seasons. This could be somewhat worrisome when thinking about his future success from the perimeter as a shooter.
The scoring for Phelps is evident, but he doesn’t get enough credit for being a facilitator. He showed flashes of being a really good passer last season. On the flip side, he needs to become a more productive rebounder at the next level to make more of an impact. Defensively there’s a lot of upside moving forward. Phelps has a strong frame and is extremely active in passing lanes and on the ball. He generated 2.3 steals per game as a sophomore.
The former four-star recruit out of Duncanville was one of the best players in Texas and stayed home to play at SMU. After just two seasons, he tested the pre-draft process, but withdrew prior to the 2023 NBA Draft. This isn’t a bad thing, as he’s likely better off with one more year in school with known feedback from NBA teams.
Highlights
Draft Projection
Potential Second-Round Pick in 2024 NBA Draft.
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