VITALS: 6-8, 234, senior, Ball State OVERVIEW: Smith had a bad break to close his college career at Ball State when he was forced to end his senior season after playing in only three games due to tendinitis in his right knee. Smith entered his name in the draft after his junior year when he averaged 19.6 points and 10.9 rebounds and led the Cardinals to the National Invitation Tournament quarterfinals, but later withdrew. He posted 23 double-doubles that year to rank second behind Kansas' Drew Gooden. Smith is from Auburndale, Florida, the same town as Orlando Magic superstar Tracy McGrady. Smith was Mid-American Conference Freshman of the Year in the 1999-2000 season. LIKELY DRAFT POSITION: Second round. Smith helped himself with a strong performance at Chicago. Over three contests, he averaged 9.3 points and converted 3-of-5 3-pointers, which left an impression on scouts, most of whom were looking at his perimeter skills. COMPARATIVE UPSIDE: Donnell Harvey COMPARATIVE DOWNSIDE: Chris Porter, Tim James ROLE PROJECTION: Reserve. POSITIVES: Smith is an explosive athlete with a great muscular physique. He is not overly bulky but has tremendous strength. At Chicago, he was among the camp's leaders in physical testing. That was important for a player coming off a major knee injury which caused him to sit out the season. Teams are now more convinced that his health problems are in the past. Blessed with a strong inside game and budding perimeter abilities, Smith could be a steal for someone in the second round. SHORTCOMINGS: Smith's actual height hovers around 6-6 1/2. That bodes poorly for his chances at playing his natural position of power forward in the NBA. Instead, he will have to make the transition to small forward. That is a difficult task for a player to complete in a non-developmental setting. WHAT THEY'RE SAYING: "I like him a lot. He was consistent, explosive and showed he could hit the outside shot. We'll consider him with our second-round pick." anonymous Eastern Conference scout
