Naturalized players are so good to use! Did he nearly help croatians overthrow Greece?
In the first round of the previous European Championship group stage, Greece narrowly defeated Croatia 89-85 after a bitter battle, winning the opening red.
Although he lost the game, Croatia's naturalized backcourt Jaleen Smith was in a brave state, playing 35 minutes and 34 seconds, shooting 8 of 13 from the field, 5 of 7 from beyond the three-point line, 2 of 2 from the free throw line, and had a team-high score of 23 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 1 steal, plus or minus of +5. Smith has a very good ability to score independently and a stable projection ability, but also has a certain degree of organization and tandem ability, his addition strengthened the team's weakest link, but also greatly improved the overall strength of the Croatian team.
Smith was the top scorer at the University of New Hampshire, but due to factors such as age and stature, he ultimately lost the 2017 NBA Draft. He then moved to Europe, where he had previously played for the German league and was honoured MVP of the Bundesliga in 2021. Last season he played for Bundesliga giants Alba Berlin, where he also helped the team win the Bundesliga title.
In July, in order to improve the team's competitiveness in the European Championships, the Croatian Basketball Association threw an olive branch to Smith, who had just received a Croatian passport. In last month's warm-up match against Bulgaria, he had just made his Croatian debut. However, it seems that he quickly adapted to the intensity of the game and his role in croatia, and he quickly became the core player of the team. Smith's performance will also determine Croatia's final record in the European Championships, and it is not known whether he can continue to work hard and play better.
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