THERON SMITH

Position: SF Class: Early Entry School: Ball St. High School: Auburndale (FL) Conference: MAC Ht., Wt.: 6'8, 225

BIO: 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. ANALYSIS: Smith tried to enter the draft last year, but tore his right ACL during a workout with the Raptors. That forced him to return to school, where he played three games before deciding to take a medical red-shirt. Smith could have returned to Ball State next season, but opted to declare. Smith has good size, is a major scorer and solid rebounder. In his junior year, Smith was second in the nation with 23 double-doubles, leading his team in scoring 21 times and rebounding 29 times. He averaged 20 points and nearly 11 boards. The big question mark for Smith is his knee. He still figures to be a second-round pick. 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. NEGATIVES: 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. PROJECTION: Mid Second Round 2002 - 2003 Season Stats