VITALS: 6-7, 215, SE Illinois OVERVIEW: Smith played two years at Southeastern Illinois in the junior college ranks and committed to play at Louisville before declaring for the draft. Smith averaged 25.8 points in his sophomore season, including a 42-point explosion. The Kentucky native played football in high school and is an excellent shooter, especially for someone his size. Smith is also an excellent ballhandler and is developing as a playmaker. His inside-out game is perfect for a NBA small forward. LIKELY DRAFT POSITION: Smith once was as a possible first-rounder, and many believe he still is. But the individual workouts the 20-year-old held during the Chicago camp really hurt his stock. As a result, it would not be a surprise if Smith slid to the end of the second round. COMPARATIVE UPSIDE: Richard Jefferson COMPARATIVE DOWNSIDE: Kedrick Brown, Gerald Wallace ROLE PROJECTION: Reserve POSITIVES: Smith has tremendous size when used at 2-guard. At 6-7 and 215 pounds, he has a body that NBA general managers love. Moreover, Smith brings tremendous athleticism to the floor. At the junior college level, he showed signs of a promising perimeter game. If he can put everything together, he has a chance to be a starter in the NBA. SHORTCOMINGS: Smith's poor shooting form has many calling him the second coming of Kedrick Brown - another former junior college star whose great athleticism and body got him drafted high but lack of a perimeter game made him a bust. Though Smith shot the ball well at Southeastern Illinois, the NBA game is an entirely different one altogether. He will have to adjust his mechanics and improve his shooting off the dribble. If Smith cannot, he will have to play forward, a position his game is not well-suited for and where his size cannot be used to his advantage. WHAT THEY'RE SAYING: "It's not fair to compare him to Kedrick Brown. They are different players. But he (Smith) doesn't seem like he wants to take over a game. He sometimes seems too content to sit back (and watch)." - anonymous Eastern Conference scout
