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The Locked On Tar Heels annual basketball roster preview series continued with its third freshman, turning the spotlight toward incoming North Carolina guard Malloy Smith.
After beginning the series with Maximo Adams and Sayon Keita, Smith presents a much different evaluation. He may not arrive in Chapel Hill with the same immediate playing-time expectations, but the 6-foot-6 guard brings positional size, basketball intelligence and some of the strongest Carolina bloodlines imaginable.
Smith is the son of former UNC All-American and two-time NBA champion Kenny “The Jet” Smith. His older brother, K.J. Smith, also spent three seasons with the Tar Heels. Malloy hopes to continue another piece of the family tradition by wearing No. 30, the same number worn at Carolina by his father and brother.
The freshman now has an opportunity to honor that legacy while creating one of his own.
Smith played at Mater Dei High School in California, where he averaged 8.6 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists across 34 games during his senior season. He originally committed to Hubert Davis but remained with the Tar Heels following the coaching transition to Michael Malone.
That decision was an encouraging early sign for Malone’s ability to maintain UNC’s connections with its former players while guiding the program into a new era. Kenny Smith participated in the coaching search, and Malloy has repeatedly expressed his commitment to the Carolina family.
On the court, Smith’s greatest strengths are his feel for the game and willingness to make plays for others. Although he possesses the size of a wing, Smith considers himself a pass-first guard. He wants to get two feet into the paint, draw the defense and create opportunities for teammates.
His unselfish approach was also evident at Mater Dei, where roster circumstances occasionally forced him to defend bigger players and even play center. Smith was willing to accept those assignments because they were what his team needed.
That mentality could help him immediately, even if his freshman contributions do not show up prominently in the box score.
North Carolina’s backcourt is crowded with players such as Terrence Brown, Matt Able, Neoklis Avdalas, Isaiah Denis, Jaydon Young and Angelo Brizzi. Smith is therefore unlikely to receive meaningful minutes early in games, with most of his appearances potentially coming after the outcome has been decided.
His most important freshman responsibilities may come in practice. Smith can help run the opponent’s offense on the scout team, provide competition for Carolina’s rotation guards and use his length to challenge teammates. He also appears capable of becoming a positive locker-room presence and connective personality for a roster featuring numerous new players.
Smith still has clear developmental priorities. His unconventional shooting motion begins high and requires more time than he will typically have against ACC defenders. Smith said he has been attempting 400 to 500 shots per day as he works to become a dependable three-point threat.
He must also improve his left-handed finishing, defensive lateral quickness and overall offensive aggression. Smith naturally looks to pass, but developing into a player whom defenses must respect as a scorer would make his playmaking substantially more effective.
The freshman may not have an immediate path into Malone’s primary rotation, but that does not make his first season unimportant. Smith can learn the system, develop against high-level guards every day and establish himself as a dependable teammate.
His Carolina name will attract the initial attention. What Smith does during the next several years will determine the legacy that ultimately belongs to him.
Link to the fully Malloy Smith conversation on Locked On Tar Heels:
Enjoy this exclusive interview with Malloy Smith from Locked On Tar Heels this week as well:
Continue reading...
After beginning the series with Maximo Adams and Sayon Keita, Smith presents a much different evaluation. He may not arrive in Chapel Hill with the same immediate playing-time expectations, but the 6-foot-6 guard brings positional size, basketball intelligence and some of the strongest Carolina bloodlines imaginable.
Smith is the son of former UNC All-American and two-time NBA champion Kenny “The Jet” Smith. His older brother, K.J. Smith, also spent three seasons with the Tar Heels. Malloy hopes to continue another piece of the family tradition by wearing No. 30, the same number worn at Carolina by his father and brother.
The freshman now has an opportunity to honor that legacy while creating one of his own.
Smith played at Mater Dei High School in California, where he averaged 8.6 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists across 34 games during his senior season. He originally committed to Hubert Davis but remained with the Tar Heels following the coaching transition to Michael Malone.
That decision was an encouraging early sign for Malone’s ability to maintain UNC’s connections with its former players while guiding the program into a new era. Kenny Smith participated in the coaching search, and Malloy has repeatedly expressed his commitment to the Carolina family.
On the court, Smith’s greatest strengths are his feel for the game and willingness to make plays for others. Although he possesses the size of a wing, Smith considers himself a pass-first guard. He wants to get two feet into the paint, draw the defense and create opportunities for teammates.
His unselfish approach was also evident at Mater Dei, where roster circumstances occasionally forced him to defend bigger players and even play center. Smith was willing to accept those assignments because they were what his team needed.
That mentality could help him immediately, even if his freshman contributions do not show up prominently in the box score.
North Carolina’s backcourt is crowded with players such as Terrence Brown, Matt Able, Neoklis Avdalas, Isaiah Denis, Jaydon Young and Angelo Brizzi. Smith is therefore unlikely to receive meaningful minutes early in games, with most of his appearances potentially coming after the outcome has been decided.
His most important freshman responsibilities may come in practice. Smith can help run the opponent’s offense on the scout team, provide competition for Carolina’s rotation guards and use his length to challenge teammates. He also appears capable of becoming a positive locker-room presence and connective personality for a roster featuring numerous new players.
Smith still has clear developmental priorities. His unconventional shooting motion begins high and requires more time than he will typically have against ACC defenders. Smith said he has been attempting 400 to 500 shots per day as he works to become a dependable three-point threat.
He must also improve his left-handed finishing, defensive lateral quickness and overall offensive aggression. Smith naturally looks to pass, but developing into a player whom defenses must respect as a scorer would make his playmaking substantially more effective.
The freshman may not have an immediate path into Malone’s primary rotation, but that does not make his first season unimportant. Smith can learn the system, develop against high-level guards every day and establish himself as a dependable teammate.
His Carolina name will attract the initial attention. What Smith does during the next several years will determine the legacy that ultimately belongs to him.
Link to the fully Malloy Smith conversation on Locked On Tar Heels:
Enjoy this exclusive interview with Malloy Smith from Locked On Tar Heels this week as well:
Continue reading...
