Five schools stand out for top-60 guard Deivon Smith
RANKINGS: 2019 Rivals150 | 2019 Team rankings | 2019 Position rankings
ATLANTA – One of the top breakout performers this winter, Deivon Smith is ready for another surge within his recruitment. The four-star junior discussed the five programs that have stood out, and outlined the timeline towards his decision.
Smith missed his freshman season with a torn ACL and injured his hamstring as a sophomore before putting together a big junior season.
“It has been real good,” he said. “I just feel like I had been overlooked the whole time and I was going through some injuries so I feel like my junior year was the best time to showcase what I am about.”
Louisville, Georgia, Miami, Oregon and Xavier are the five programs that have invested the most time with him, Smith told Rivals.com.
IN HIS OWN WORDS
Georgia: “It was exciting whenever Tom Crean offered me. I think that was my first offer. It was big for me. After that one, all the others started to come in and my game started to improve more. I have been to the campus three or four times. I love the energy down there with the staff, too.”
Louisville: “I liked that offer a lot. I went on an unofficial visit before they offered me and then they offered me that day. I sat down with coach (Chris Mack) and he said that he liked the way that I play and he thinks that I can come in and start and get going. I like it there a lot; NBA arena, people coming up to talk to me and welcome me so it kind of felt like home even though it was my first time there.”
Miami: “Coach L (Jim Larranaga) and Coach (Adam) Fisher, they’re going to be in Dallas for me next week. I talk to them every day or every other day. They are on me a lot. Coach Fisher is on me. I like Miami a lot.”
Oregon: “It was big getting that offer. Just watching Oregon, everybody is fascinated with their uniforms and the Nike stuff, but whenever I got that, I knew that it was a big offer. I like the staff a lot.”
Xavier: “I like their staff. I think they are coming to see me this week. I like the coach a lot and they have been talking to me and my parents a lot, communicating well. If I could go to school with Dwon (Odom), playing AAU again with him now, that would be nice.”
WHAT'S NEXT & RIVALS' REACTION
Smith has already been to the campuses at Georgia, Georgia Tech and Louisville since the fall, and is hoping to get out west soon. “I want to go to Oregon but I have nothing lined up,” he said.
When it comes to a decision, Smith would like to end things before his high school season begins. “I want to do something at the end of AAU and before the fall just in case any injuries happen so I will be fine,” he stated.
A lightly recruited prospect prior until this fall, Smith broke out this winter thanks to a clean bill of health but also due to his motor and explosiveness. There might not be a harder playing guard in the 2020 class and, thrown in alongside his defensive value and shot-making abilities, Smith remains a must-get for all of those involved as he enters his senior travel ball season.