Wednesday, the first day of the early signing period, was a good one for SMU basketball. The Mustangs saw its backcourt improve with two talented three-star prospects.

Florida prospect Jalen Smith signed with SMU Wednesday morning. He was the Mustangs' first commit of the 2021 class. Later in the evening, SMU scored a local product in Duncanville guard Zhuric Phelps.

The HillTopics provided analysis on the Mustangs' two additions of the early signing period.

JALEN SMITH

Orlando, Florida | Oak Ridge HS

6-4, 175

RECRUITMENT

Smith is a reliable two-way player who can run the point and defend multiple positions at the next level. Recruited by assistant coach Yaphett King, Smith chose SMU over offers from Illinois-Chicago, Charlotte and Siena , among others.

Smith is a player with a ton of length -- he has a 6-9 wingspan -- and his ability to drain shots from all three levels makes him one to watch on the Hilltop. He averaged 11.6 points and 2.9 assists last season. He made 49% of his shots from the floor and also made 49% from the 3-point line as a junior.

WHY SMU?

"Me and my parents looked at everything when it came down to my top schools. We looked at academics, if it had a strong business school. We looked at how I would fit in the system, me being able to make an impact as a freshman. We looked at returning players, relationship with coaches, strength of schedule, and even weather. [SMU] met all of those needs for me."

- Jalen Smith

THEY SAID IT

SMU Head coach Tim Jankovich: "We are very excited to have Jalen Smith signing with us today. Jalen comes to us from Orlando, Florida, where he played for Steve Reece at Oakridge High School. He is a very athletic guard who uses his 6-9 wingspan to defend at a high level. He also has a reputation for making threes and is a talented playmaker. He is a strong student in the classroom and is a welcomed addition to our SMU family."

National Basketball Analyst Rob Cassidy: "Smith has the length that some guards lack. His size and wingspan serve him incredibly well on the defensive end. He's not quite the scoring threat that Zhuric Phelps is, but the two should pair together incredibly well as they fill in each other's gaps."

ZHURIC PHELPS

Duncanville, Texas | Duncanville HS

6-3, 175

RECRUITMENT

Rated a three-star guard, Phelps is ranked the No. 37 point guard in the nation by Rivals.com. Recruited by assistant coach Jay Duncan, Phelps chose SMU over offers from DePaul and UT-Arlington.

Phelps played half the schedule at Duncanville last season and averaged 7.9 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.8 rebounds and 1.5 steals on a team that finished 29-5 and won the Class 6A Region I tournament. The state tournament was canceled because of COVID-19 concerns.

Phelps moved to Duncanville from west Texas. He averaged 15.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 3.7 steals during his sophomore year at Midland Lee.

WHY SMU?

"They've got players who want to win, and the whole coaching staff wants to win. That was really intriguing to me."

- Zhuric Phelps

THEY SAID IT

SMU Head Coach Tim Jankovich: "Zhuric is a tremendous young man! He has great character, is strong academically and a terrific basketball talent. He had an impressive summer with Coach TJ Thomas and Texas Impact and is poised for a big senior season with Coach [David] Peavy at Duncanville High School. We are very excited to announce Zhuric will be joining us at SMU next year."

National Basketball Analyst Rob Cassidy: "Phelps' scoring ability has never been in question. He needs to develop as a passer, but that should come with time. His measurables aren't elite, but the production is there in spades. He has the makings of a productive, four-year college player."