Who is Chris Smith?

by Mike Rutherford on Apr 24, 2009 2:24 PM EDT in Basketball

News broke yesterday that the newest Louisville Cardinal was Manhattan transfer Chris Smith, a guard who will have two years of eligibility after sitting out next season.

So just who in the hell is this guy?

Smith, the younger brother of Nuggets guard J.R. Smith, led the Jaspers in rebounding (5.7 rpg) last season and ranked second on the team in scoring at 13.4 ppg. He scored in double figures 20 times, notched a pair of double-doubles and dropped 35 in a December victory over Princeton.

As a freshman in 2007-2008, Smith averaged 9.9 ppg and scored more than 20 points in three league contests. He originally signed with Seton Hall in April of 2007, but was granted a release after experiencing some eligibility issues and ultimately landed at Manhattan, where he had to sit out the first ten games of his rookie season.

A star at prep powerhouse St. Benedict's (N.J.), Smith was billed as an elite scorer and athlete, the two qualities which still reportedly define his game.

Here's some video of Smith playing for Danny Hurley's squad in 2007. Watch and you get the added bonus of finding out which animal he thinks best defines his game (here's a hint: it's not the sphinx moth).

Welcome aboard.

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Comments

Does anybody else feel like we have way too many guards and not enough forwards?

I mean, especially for a team that has run through it’s forwards for at least two years in a row.

Next year we’ll have at the guard:
Sosa
Siva
Knowles
Smith
New Smith
Kuric
Delk
Steiden Brickley

And at forward, we’ll have:
Buckles
Van Treese
Jennings
Samuels
Swopshire

And don’t even get me started on centers, of which we have exactly 0. Things aren’t looking better for the future, either, now that Tyler has officially decided to act the fool.

by CARD_G6 on Apr 24, 2009 3:27 PM EDT reply actions

Ok, so I just realized that he won't play next year.

But still… I was having these thoughts long before this dude showed up.

by CARD_G6 on Apr 24, 2009 3:30 PM EDT up reply actions

Steiden and Brickley don't really factor into any equation

And Delk and Kuric are both threes as of right now, so with Sosa and Smith leaving after next season it’s really not a bad move to bring in a 6-3 guy who can put the ball in the bucket.

by Mike Rutherford on Apr 24, 2009 3:36 PM EDT up reply actions

yeah but delk and kuric AREN'T threes

they’re both 6’4 180. keep in mind our last two threes – twill and garcia – were both 6’6 or taller, and twill weighed 220 (garcia was like 170).

CardG6 is right – we have a major problem at forward in that we have two guys that can play the 4 and that’s it. in between being extorted and talking to the FBI, rick is going to have to redesign the offense so that it flows through the guards.

by davidson07 on Apr 24, 2009 4:08 PM EDT up reply actions

Not necessarily saying they should be

Just saying that’s the position they play.

by Mike Rutherford on Apr 24, 2009 5:05 PM EDT up reply actions

The point is that they play that position because we don't have anybody else to play it.

Next year we’re going to be rotating two 6’4" shooting guards and a 6’8" power forward at the 3. Not the ideal situation, iMO.

Also, I include Brickley and Steiden for completion sake.

by CARD_G6 on Apr 25, 2009 1:46 AM EDT up reply actions

Transfers

I hate to be a wet blanket, but I would rather have seen his roster spot go to a top high school recruit. That’s just my view and I hope he proves me wrong.

by Whacker77 on Apr 24, 2009 7:11 PM EDT reply actions

Smith transfer....

He’s sure got the arm art to swing it.

by ihateukul on Apr 24, 2009 8:13 PM EDT reply actions

I have a feeling

that Mr. Goode would not be happy if he’s left off next year’s team.

by thecraphead on Apr 24, 2009 9:48 PM EDT reply actions

I was thinking a transfer that only averaged 13 pts a game for manhattan, a wasted scholarship too, but after seeing the video i’m feeling alot better about this move. sosa, jerry and delk will all be gone by the time he plays and correct me if i’m wrong but we do have a few 6’6,6’7 guys coming in after this year.t his kid has some hops, he rebounds well,he says he plays good defense and he definately has asweet looking stepback jumper.

CARDS RULE!!BRONCOS RULE!!GO LAKERS!!!

by esphurricane on Apr 25, 2009 1:27 AM EDT reply actions