Josh Smith (UCLA) Leaves the Program

[matts83]

Wow, not good news for UCLA. I wonder if this is the end for Howland, first Lamb now Smith.

http://ucla.scout.com/2/1244590.html

[Nosbleuatu]

Any insight into whether he'll transfer, or just done with basketball? "Leaving the program" is a bit vague...

[sporthenry]

Any insight into whether he'll transfer, or just done with basketball? "Leaving the program" is a bit vague...

Call me crazy, but wonder if Duke would have the slightest interest in him. Obviously not the best situation but maybe it is a chance for him to get his act together and it'd provide Duke with a legit D-1 player for the 2nd half of next year. I doubt it happens but he'd probably be the best big man they could bring in next year from a talent/ready perspective.

[Nosbleuatu]

Call me crazy, but wonder if Duke would have the slightest interest in him. Obviously not the best situation but maybe it is a chance for him to get his act together and it'd provide Duke with a legit D-1 player for the 2nd half of next year. I doubt it happens but he'd probably be the best big man they could bring in next year from a talent/ready perspective.

Seems like low risk/high reward. Would the primary issue be just motivation/conditioning, or are there concerns about his personality that would scare off the coaches after his stint at UCLA?

[loran16]

Call me crazy, but wonder if Duke would have the slightest interest in him. Obviously not the best situation but maybe it is a chance for him to get his act together and it'd provide Duke with a legit D-1 player for the 2nd half of next year. I doubt it happens but he'd probably be the best big man they could bring in next year from a talent/ready perspective.


Seems like low risk/high reward. Would the primary issue be just motivation/conditioning, or are there concerns about his personality that would scare off the coaches after his stint at UCLA?

Massive concerns. He's enormously talented, but he has always failed to find the motivation to lose weight and has always come in way out of shape and with no stamina. Not the guy who fits in a Duke gym.

[Duvall]

Seems like low risk/high reward. Would the primary issue be just motivation/conditioning, or are there concerns about his personality that would scare off the coaches after his stint at UCLA?

After three years, motivation/conditioning isn't scary enough?

[tommy]

We actually recruited this kid out of Seattle and boy, is this ever one that it was good to not win. He has never been in shape, or even close to it. Embarrassing, really. I'm sure Duke wouldn't touch him now, for a variety of reasons, including what the inability or unwillingness to get in shape says about his commitment to basketball and to his team. If I was Smith, I'd be brushing up on my Turkish.

The guy who may benefit here, BTW, is our old friend Tony Parker, who may now be able to get off the bench a little.

There is no doubt that Howland is in deep, deep trouble at UCLA. The alumni are absolutely fed up. I don't think he's back next year.

[Dev11]

Think he'll transfer to UNC? Pound-for-pound, it would complete a fair trade.

What say you, miltk?

[Dukeblue91]

Think he'll transfer to UNC? Pound-for-pound, it would complete a fair trade.

LOL :D

But yes I don't see that coach staying much longer.
UCLA was just looking for a reason and he bought a little time with his last recruiting class but that was it and that class is not really working out thus far.

[Mike Corey]

2977

[dukereport]

I'm sure the Panda Express on campus would be the first to welcome him to Duke.

[jimsumner]

Seems like low risk/high reward. Would the primary issue be just motivation/conditioning, or are there concerns about his personality that would scare off the coaches after his stint at UCLA?

I'm not sure he's all that low-risk. Duke looked at him in high school and backed off due to concerns about conditioning, weight and attitude. I would think he would have to initiate the whole thing and do a real sales job to get Duke's interest.

[ChicagoCrazy84]

If the kid has always had conditioning and attitude issues, wouldn't UCLA be glad he has decided to leave school so they can focus on the young guys and build on the program with this last recruiting class? OR are the departures of Lamb and Smith more tied together and speak of the issues the program is having? I'm just thinking maybe they each had their individual reasons for leaving, but really I have no clue. If the program is in such disarray, how has Howland been able to sign the #1 recruiting class in the country with another two kids signed next year that are in the top 50?

[tommy]

If the kid has always had conditioning and attitude issues, wouldn't UCLA be glad he has decided to leave school so they can focus on the young guys and build on the program with this last recruiting class? OR are the departures of Lamb and Smith more tied together and speak of the issues the program is having? I'm just thinking maybe they each had their individual reasons for leaving, but really I have no clue. If the program is in such disarray, how has Howland been able to sign the #1 recruiting class in the country with another two kids signed next year that are in the top 50?

UCLA has always been, and remains the glamour program on the west coast. Howland has a very good track record of guys not only getting to the NBA, but sticking and being impact players. And they have a beautifully renovated and remodeled Pauley Pavillion which just opened this year. That's a lot to sell, even with the problems they've had in recent years.

With Shabazz, I believe it came down to one word: Adidas. As to how they got Anderson, that's a bit of a head-scratcher for me as to how, other than straight out paying him, they got him all the way from New Jersey. Adams was/is very close with Korey McCray, the former coach of the Atlanta Celtics AAU team that the Georgia native played for and who Howland just happened to hire as an assistant last year. Note: Tony Parker also hails from Georgia. I actually think the hiring of McCray was a last-ditch, desperate move by Howland to save his job. He knew McCray, via whatever means necessary, would have a good shot at getting some talented kids to come across the country to play at UCLA and restock some pretty barren shelves. Which he did. But the problems at UCLA are pretty deep, and just bringing in some talented freshmen has not proven sufficient to address those problems, at least not yet. But Howland is apparently out of time.

[loran16]

If the kid has always had conditioning and attitude issues, wouldn't UCLA be glad he has decided to leave school so they can focus on the young guys and build on the program with this last recruiting class? OR are the departures of Lamb and Smith more tied together and speak of the issues the program is having? I'm just thinking maybe they each had their individual reasons for leaving, but really I have no clue. If the program is in such disarray, how has Howland been able to sign the #1 recruiting class in the country with another two kids signed next year that are in the top 50?

UCLA is down to 8 scholarship players without Smith so no they're not glad. Their remaining players include 4 Freshmen, 3 of whom are expected to leave after this year, and 3 UNC Transfers.

So, no, UCLA is not happy to lose Smith - their team for next year is now, yet again, Wear Twins + Drew II, Parker, and Norman Powell....and any recruits they bring in. That's not a good framework. At all.

[Dev11]

2977

No that's the Big East, this thread is about Josh Smith.

[MChambers]

I'm not sure he's all that low-risk. Duke looked at him in high school and backed off due to concerns about conditioning, weight and attitude. I would think he would have to initiate the whole thing and do a real sales job to get Duke's interest.
He's enormous. I watched a few minutes of a UCLA game (maybe against Georgia) earlier this year and was shocked. He looks to be at least 40 pounds north of effective, especially in Duke's style of man to man defense.

Of course, I also was shocked at how old Shabazz Muhammed looked. He looks as old as Kobe Bryant. I'm sure he's the normal age for a freshman, but I haven't seen a freshman that looked so, uh, mature since Greg Oden.

[dchen09]

UCLA is down to 8 scholarship players without Smith so no they're not glad. Their remaining players include 4 Freshmen, 3 of whom are expected to leave after this year, and 3 UNC Transfers.

So, no, UCLA is not happy to lose Smith - their team for next year is now, yet again, Wear Twins + Drew II, Parker, and Norman Powell....and any recruits they bring in. That's not a good framework. At all.

Well, only Muhammad is a projected 1st round draft pick. No one is sold on Anderson's ability to compensate for the lack of athleticism just yet, and while Adams is playing well, I'm not sure he's 1st round draft pick well.

So assuming Anderson and Adams stay, they actually have a pretty good core for next year. They have their ball handler in Drew/Anderson + incoming 5* Zach LaVine, a solid core of wings in Adams, Powell, and incoming 4* Allerik Freeman, and still has 3 solid bigs in Parker and the Wear twins. Of course this is assuming that the recruits actually come... but there's definitely plenty of teams with alot less talent.

[tommy]

We actually recruited this kid out of Seattle and boy, is this ever one that it was good to not win. He has never been in shape, or even close to it. Embarrassing, really. I'm sure Duke wouldn't touch him now, for a variety of reasons, including what the inability or unwillingness to get in shape says about his commitment to basketball and to his team. If I was Smith, I'd be brushing up on my Turkish.

The guy who may benefit here, BTW, is our old friend Tony Parker, who may now be able to get off the bench a little.

Oops. In last night's win over Cal State Northridge, Parker played one minute before getting hurt and not returning to the game. He was seen in a walking boot. Wow does this team have bad juju right now.

By the way, Smith's departure marks the 11th time since 2008 that a UCLA player has left the team early/transferred/gotten booted off, etc. That is a ton in a short period.

[SoCalDukeFan]

I think Coach K is the greatest.

If he recruits/accepts/whatever Josh Smith then my opinion of K will change dramatically.

Smith is probably a good guy but he can not control his weight nor get into condition.

This year I heard, did not see, that he stole the ball at midcourt, dribbled down, and was too exhausted to dunk or lay it in.

I think he just messes up the whole team.

SoCal

[devildeac]

If he was that large, does that open up one or two scholarships for UCLA:rolleyes:?