Wednesday, February 12, 2014

The Hoyas 350 pound basketball player continues to bite off more than he can chew now that he faces academic ineligibility

Joshua LaTrell Smith, junior at Georgetown University, is currently academically ineligible for the remainder of the season. The 6’10” 350 pound center has played basketball his whole life, but his career might be over after blowing a very generous second chance.
            Smith began his playing days at the Rotary Style Basketball Program in Seattle, Washington. The program dedicates itself to developing a child personally, athletically, and academically. Smith was required to maintain a “C” grade point average if he wanted to participate in the program.
Rodney Stuckey, Detroit Pistons star, played for the same program. Smith said Stuckey is the athlete he most admires. Stuckey played for the Conquerors at Kentwood High School a few years before Smith joined the squad.
            Smith played a huge role during his four years at Kentwood High. He earned four varsity letters in basketball for the Conquerors and his Kentwood High team won the 2010 State Championship during his senior season.
            Jeremy Beck, current student at the University of Montana, played for Mead High School during the 2010 State Tournament. His team faced Kentwood in the first round of the tournament and lost 57-44. “There was no defending him. He was so much bigger than everyone else that there was nothing we could do to stop him”, Beck said.
            At the end of his senior year, Smith was rated the No. 1 center and No. 10 overall recruit in the country by ESPN. His next destination was UCLA.
            As a freshman, he finished the season with an average of 11 points and 6.3 rebounds a game. Smith only recorded an average of 10 points and just under 5 rebounds a game his sophomore season.
UCLA fans expected much more out of their big man and he felt the same way. The reason for Smith’s downfall is simple. He was out of shape. He is often too winded to get down the court with everyone else, sometimes not even making it to the three-point line. "My whole career, I've never been in great shape. I can only imagine what would happen if I was,” Smith said.
Lucas Kianidehkian, UCLA student, is an avid Bruins basketball fan and he is furious with the way Smith played as a Bruin. “It’s embarrassing. That team had so much potential and they suck because of how heavy he is. He role is to be a “big” man, but he is just too big to get up and down the floor,” Kianidehkian said.
There was talk that Smith might declare for the NBA draft, but he decided to rejoin the Bruins for his junior season. He only appeared in six games recording an average of 5.5 points and 4.2 rebounds a game.
Smith decided to transfer to Georgetown last December and sat out the spring 2013 semester. He received a waiver to play in the fall without having to sit out a full two semesters. Receiving a waiver isn't uncommon when a medical issue is given as the reason, but Smith was given a rare exception for two seasons of remaining eligibility. This was his second chance.

What did Smith do with this opportunity? He was averaging 11.5 points and 3.4 rebounds, until he was deemed academically ineligible for the remainder of the season. The Hoyas are 10-3 with him, 5-5 without him so far this season. They were running much of their offense through Smith when he was on the floor. Only time will tell if Smith ever steps foot on the court again.




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