However, remember he committed to Miznoz first to play baseball.
8 ppg on 56% shooting and 4 rpg in 19.5 mpg, for a true freshman big in a major conference is a flop?
Which of our non LB bigs would you have not traded for that stat line last year?
Mark Smith was promised a lot when recruiting by then newly hired coach.."We will build a system around him" . Current hype recruit several times mentioned how hard Mark Smith was recruiting him.
Not just yelling but pulling out players after 30 seconds of play for making a mistake is not the best way to learn the system. Several kids left BU and there is a reason for that.
As much as I hate Misery, all the best for Mark Smith - I am confident he will play at the next level.
I wouldn’t be 100%surprised if he ended up switching to baseball during his time at Missouri That’s not a knock on him either.
Mark Smith was promised a lot when recruiting by then newly hired coach.."We will build a system around him" . Current hype recruit several times mentioned how hard Mark Smith was recruiting him.
Not just yelling but pulling out players after 30 seconds of play for making a mistake is not the best way to learn the system. Several kids left BU and there is a reason for that.
As much as I hate Misery, all the best for Mark Smith - I am confident he will play at the next level.
MS: "I wish them the best of luck with Coach Underwood and the staff. I know he's going to sign players that fit his system. They're going to do great in the future. "http://www.stltoday.com/sports/coll...cle_e37cc74d-bbd1-5af5-b0ae-f1e5daaf034f.html
“I feel like (Martin) has my best interests in mind and we just have a very good relationship,” Smith said in a phone interview Sunday. “I like the fact that it’s a family atmosphere and he really wants what’s best for me. And I like their style of play.”
“He was bounced around a little bit from the one (point guard) to the two (shooting guard) to the three (wing) and it seemed like he played more of the three,” Yvonne Smith said. “I can only just stress it wasn’t the right system for him. That’s all I’m going to say.”
(sure would like to hear what BU privately thinks of the parents and MS' ability to play the point )
MS was lost in B1G play...a step slow and poor shooting %,,,terrible defense and prone to fouling....
I'm very happy with the trade of MS for any of the new recruits.
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/coll...cle_e37cc74d-bbd1-5af5-b0ae-f1e5daaf034f.html
“I feel like (Martin) has my best interests in mind and we just have a very good relationship,” Smith said in a phone interview Sunday. “I like the fact that it’s a family atmosphere and he really wants what’s best for me. And I like their style of play.”
“He was bounced around a little bit from the one (point guard) to the two (shooting guard) to the three (wing) and it seemed like he played more of the three,” Yvonne Smith said. “I can only just stress it wasn’t the right system for him. That’s all I’m going to say.”
(sure would like to hear what BU privately thinks of the parents and MS' ability to play the point )
MS was lost in B1G play...a step slow and poor shooting %,,,terrible defense and prone to fouling....
I'm very happy with the trade of MS for any of the new recruits.
I agree... I think he lived with a power game in the past and really didnt develop speed and quickness to be a lead PG. unlike some, I do believe quickness can be developed or at least enhanced. Watching ML quickness from his Illini days to his NBA time (albeit jusspot minutes)is an example... big enhancement for him since getting to league.I hope it works out for Mark Smith, and he lives his dream.
But man.....he's a long, long way to go from being a high-major PG. Blame the system all you want, but he and those close to him need to honestly evaluate his own ability to play the PG -- and do what's necessary to get him to where he needs to be.
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/coll...cle_e37cc74d-bbd1-5af5-b0ae-f1e5daaf034f.html
“I feel like (Martin) has my best interests in mind and we just have a very good relationship,” Smith said in a phone interview Sunday. “I like the fact that it’s a family atmosphere and he really wants what’s best for me. And I like their style of play.”
“He was bounced around a little bit from the one (point guard) to the two (shooting guard) to the three (wing) and it seemed like he played more of the three,” Yvonne Smith said. “I can only just stress it wasn’t the right system for him. That’s all I’m going to say.”
(sure would like to hear what BU privately thinks of the parents and MS' ability to play the point )
MS was lost in B1G play...a step slow and poor shooting %,,,terrible defense and prone to fouling....
I'm very happy with the trade of MS for any of the new recruits.
This is code for "We miss nice, soft-guy JG". Seriously, the comment about "That's all I'm going to say" should have been left unsaid as BU has respectfully held his tongue. MS needs to develop not only his quickness, but toughness against good players - something not playing AAU was not exposed. And playing 1,2,3? Yes, BU gave him every chance to play - he was given his chance. Helicopter parenting is pretty evident here.
I completely understand his/their desire to play the PG position. But don't blame "the system" because Mark was not ready to play that position at the college level.
"The system" isn't what relegated Mark to the 2/3 position -- and eventually the bench. Trent Frazier being 100 times better at the PG position is what relegated Smith to the 2/3. And frankly, Smith should be grateful that the staff give him as many minutes and opportunities as they did. His stat line in conference play doesn't need to be repeated here, but it was evident that as competition level went up, Smith simply could not compete with consistency.
I feel as though I spent half the season refuting the argument that "Smith's #s are similar to Deron and DMac and Luther and other freshman guards!". Those guys got noticeably better as the season went on, and their Big Ten #s were better than their non-conference #s. Smith was just the opposite. So, did "the system" suddenly change mid-season? Or rather, did the step up in competition expose the fact that Smith still needs a lot of work to compete at this level?
Pretty clear it's the latter. And don't blame "the system" for that.......unless, of course, you're looking for a system that relies on a slow PG who lacks lateral quickness and can't guard opposing PGs. In that case, yes.....our system wasn't suited for him.
I completely understand his/their desire to play the PG position. But don't blame "the system" because Mark was not ready to play that position at the college level.
"The system" isn't what relegated Mark to the 2/3 position -- and eventually the bench. Trent Frazier being 100 times better at the PG position is what relegated Smith to the 2/3. And frankly, Smith should be grateful that the staff give him as many minutes and opportunities as they did. His stat line in conference play doesn't need to be repeated here, but it was evident that as competition level went up, Smith simply could not compete with consistency.
I feel as though I spent half the season refuting the argument that "Smith's #s are similar to Deron and DMac and Luther and other freshman guards!". Those guys got noticeably better as the season went on, and their Big Ten #s were better than their non-conference #s. Smith was just the opposite. So, did "the system" suddenly change mid-season? Or rather, did the step up in competition expose the fact that Smith still needs a lot of work to compete at this level?
Pretty clear it's the latter. And don't blame "the system" for that.......unless, of course, you're looking for a system that relies on a slow PG who lacks lateral quickness and can't guard opposing PGs. In that case, yes.....our system wasn't suited for him.
I completely understand his/their desire to play the PG position. But don't blame "the system" because Mark was not ready to play that position at the college level.
"The system" isn't what relegated Mark to the 2/3 position -- and eventually the bench. Trent Frazier being 100 times better at the PG position is what relegated Smith to the 2/3. And frankly, Smith should be grateful that the staff give him as many minutes and opportunities as they did. His stat line in conference play doesn't need to be repeated here, but it was evident that as competition level went up, Smith simply could not compete with consistency.
I feel as though I spent half the season refuting the argument that "Smith's #s are similar to Deron and DMac and Luther and other freshman guards!". Those guys got noticeably better as the season went on, and their Big Ten #s were better than their non-conference #s. Smith was just the opposite. So, did "the system" suddenly change mid-season? Or rather, did the step up in competition expose the fact that Smith still needs a lot of work to compete at this level?
Pretty clear it's the latter. And don't blame "the system" for that.......unless, of course, you're looking for a system that relies on a slow PG who lacks lateral quickness and can't guard opposing PGs. In that case, yes.....our system wasn't suited for him.
MS now plays for a rival that we will play every year for the near future...what he REALLY has to say about BU and the Illini is what concerns me the most, along with his parents.....
Its been alluded that his parents, i.e. father were problematic at times and I have no link , just going on a feeble 66 yr old memory, but he could really damage the Illini program with remarks detrimental such as BU too tough or I didn't get a chance at PG , etc etc....
I still say Im glad with the trade off of MS for any of the new recruits...MS has a longgggg way to go to be ready for D 1 high major play at any position....always a step slow on D and lazily fouled to make up for it....shot poorly from all areas of the court and tried to bull rush the basket continually with minimal success...
If programs actually got damaged from players complaining about coaches, nobody would play for them. That obviously isn’t the case. I’m not worried one bit about what his parents have to say unless Underwood went Bobby Knight on him and choked him or something crazy...
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If programs actually got damaged from players complaining about coaches, nobody would play for them. That obviously isn’t the case. I’m not worried one bit about what his parents have to say unless Underwood went Bobby Knight on him and choked him or something crazy...
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Actually, that is not true. Luther in conference was 4.1ppg/1.2apg and overall as a freshman was 4.5ppg/1.9apg so his non-conference was even better (to still maintain higher overall numbers). Dee was the same, in conference was 11.2ppg/4.8apg and overall 12ppg/5apg. Deron dropped more than 1ppg in conference (from 6.3ppg to 5.3ppg) but had a very slight increase in assists (from 4.5apg to 4.8apg).
But while their conference numbers dropped, none had the performance decline of Mark Smith. I think Mark Smith is a good character kid, just that he does not have the quickness (especially lateral quickness) to be an effective PG. But if he works at it, he could be an effective SG in college. Good luck to him.