2010 recruit Josh Smith on KU

[DWKB]

Washington State kid with offers from UCLA and UofA already

When Josh Smith asked his dad who Danny Manning was, his dad had a funny look on his face and answered the question with a question.

“You don’t know who Danny Manning is?”

The younger Smith wasn’t aware of the former National Player of the Year at Kansas, but he was curious to know more. He knew his dad was the right person to ask.

“My dad is a huge college basketball fan. He played a little, but he is a huge fan and basketball is his favorite sport,” Smith said.

Smith will surely get to know Manning and the rest of the Kansas staff over the next year as the Jayhawks pursue the 6′9″ 280 pound center. The good news for the Kansas staff, is that Smith already likes the Jayhawks.

“I like them a lot. They are one of the Big 6, just won the National Title, and they produce guys to the NBA,” Smith said about Kansas.

Funny thing about Kansas winning the National Title and Smith, he didn’t even see it.

“I missed the title game. I was at a tournament, but I heard about Chalmers hitting the big shot and watched the highlights,” Smith said.

Smith was able to catch a few games that the Jayhawks played last season.

“I watched them play against Texas a couple of times. I like the way the bigs played with Jackson and Darrell Arthur,” Smith said.

It’s a little early for Smith to start breaking down his list of schools and who leads who, but he did say that the Jayhawks are in line for a visit.

“I will visit them,” Smith said about a trip to Lawrence.

On that trip, Smith will surely learn all he needs to know about the Jayhawk program and the legend himself, Danny Manning.

 

[Russ Smith]

This is UCLA's #1 target in 2010. Duke and UNC are all over him too, he's really good. He has already surpassed Jeremy Tyler as the top rated big in that class and most have him the top rated player.

Good kid too. Interesting note, apparently he and Abdul Gaddy don't get along that well. Earlier this year Gaddy was quoted as saying Smith was not that good, if he played on the East Coast he'd be just another guy, he's only a big deal because we don't have any good bigs on the West Coast for him to play against. Gaddy of course is now a UW commit and UW is hotly pursuing Smith so it will be interesting to see if there's any issue there.

 

[DWKB]

I love the mention of Arthur and Jackson. Arthur was a pro in waiting, but Kaun and Jackson were developed into NBA big men. Manning had a huge hand in that development once he was given an asst coaching seat. Aldrich will be the next KU big man on the NBA track getting to go against those three as a Fr in practice. Bill Self coaches through the big men.

 

[Russ Smith]

I love the mention of Arthur and Jackson. Arthur was a pro in waiting, but Kaun and Jackson were developed into NBA big men. Manning had a huge hand in that development once he was given an asst coaching seat. Aldrich will be the next KU big man on the NBA track getting to go against those three as a Fr in practice. Bill Self coaches through the big men.

Agreed. UCLA is doing the same thing selling kids like Stover that even if you don't start right away you'll be working against kids like Morgan and Gordon in practice. And all you have to do is look at Hollins, Mata-Real and Love to see that UCLA can develop bigs(Admittedly developing Love was pretty easy he was quite polished when he arrived, just needed to get in better shape.)

It's going to be a fight for Smith, early reports had UCLA the favorite but these days you hear there is no favorite he's wide open.

 

[Russ Smith]

OK I smell a rat. Read today from Andy Katz that Kansas is "tentatively looking at a home and home with UCLA next year." This would presumably replace the one UCLA has with Texas(played at home last year, at Texas this year).

Self can't fool me, there's 2 reasons he wants a home and home with UCLA, Michael Snaer, and Josh Smith.



he's forgetting this will give UCLA better access to that deep talent pool in Kansas.

Actually I hope they do it, one thing I don't like with Howland is the creampuff OOC schedules, hard to argue with the results but I'd like to add at least one good team a year to replace one of the cupcakes.