The Scout: Presbyterian - Chaise Smith
Breaking down the game of Presbyterian freshman guard Chaise Smith
In the fifth article of the second wrap-around, we take a look at Presbyterian’s newest freshman guard, Chaise Smith.
Without further ado, let’s break down the game of Longwood’s new guard, Chaise Smith.
Player Bio:
Chaise Smith comes off 4 seasons at Washington HS in Washington, NC, during which he broke multiple records.
HS Career (4 Seasons at Washington HS)
#9 PG and #31 Overall Recruit on PhenomHoops
Holds the Record for Most Career Points and assists at Washington HS; the previous points record was held by Dominique Wilkins.
Averaged 21.4 PPG, 8 APG, and 5.5 RPG in his Senior Season.
Played in the North Carolina East/West Game and Carolina’s Classic All-Star Game.
Had his Jersey #1 Retired by Washington HS.
Held offers from Radford, Charleston, High Point, and Shaw (D2) before committing to Presbyterian.
Film Review:
Film from HoopFarmMixTapez on YouTube:
Hollywood:
The nickname for Chaise Smith is very fitting: Hollywood. The spotlight followed Chaise throughout his high school career. Chaise Smith was one of the main stars in his area since his freshman season, when he averaged 15 PPG and finished 2nd on Washington in scoring. Chaise Smith was able to take another step up, leading Washington in both his sophomore and junior seasons with nearly 20 PPG in both seasons. During Smith’s senior season, when he partnered with Shimere Garris, Smith finished 2nd in points, with Garris and both players averaging 20 PPG.
Garris’s being at Washington also gave Chaise Smith another ability. The ability to show that he can be the director of the offense. During Chaise Smith’s senior season, he finished 4th among all seniors in NC for Assist Per Game, according to MaxPreps, with 7.5 APG. That 4th position places him between two of the top PG prospects in Mid Major hoops, with Dionte Neal (UNCG Signee) finishing higher than Smith with 8.4 APG but above Top 300 247 Recruit Kobe Edwards (Charleston Signee) with 6.8 APG.
Defensive Stud:
The thing that sets Chaise Smith apart from some of the guards in his class is defense. Chaise Smith not only plays really good defense, but he also plays it with the same intensity he brings on the offensive end. Smith ended up leading Washington in Steals and finished 2nd on the team in Blocks, 1st among guards. That defensive ability wasn’t just showcased in his senior season. During his entire career, according to MaxPreps, Smith averaged 2.4 SPG and 1.1 BLP, including 2.1 BPG in his Junior Season, totaling 61 blocks in that single season.
It is rare to see a 6’2 guard like Smith do the amount of this he does, especially as an incoming freshman. Last season in D1, 3 freshman guards, 6-4 or shorter, averaged Steal and Block Percentages of 2% or higher. Those guards were Armelo Boone (WKU). Jabez Jenkins (Belmont) and Chris Komin (Northern Arizona). While I would expect a reduction in Smith’s stats with the move to the D1 level, athleticism will follow you anywhere, and it’ll be the factor of speed that would catch Smith off guard the most.
Record Breaker:
The one thing I haven’t mentioned is the biggest thing that has followed Chaise Smith throughout his career: the term “Record Holder”. No matter the record, being the record holder requires one thing. For you to do something that hasn’t ever been done before. On Feb 18th, Chaise Smith broke the previous record for a leading scorer at Washington HS with 1940 points and set the career assist record as well. One player Chaise Smith had to pass along the way was NBA legend Dominique Wilkins.
Something that both Dominique Wilkins and Chaise Smith share is having their jersey retired by Washington. When Chaise Smith signed to play for Presbyterian, it was announced that his #1 would be retired and placed at the front of the gym where Washington plays. That Beaufort County area has been a hotbed for talent in the past too. Obviously Dominique Wilkins went to Washington, but Bam Adebayo played at Northside, and former Wake Forest star Alvis Rodgers also played at Washington.
Role Shift:
The only thing that I believe could hold Chaise Smith back is if he doesn’t adjust to the inevitable early role shift. Very rarely does a freshman come onto a team as experienced together as Presbyterian and immediately becomes the #1 guy. That likely means Chaise Smith will have to change roles from being the #1 guy in some capacity for the first time in at least 3 seasons. That change in roles can sometimes really cause a player trouble, especially if it’s something they haven’t had to do recently, if at all. In Year 1, it is paramount for any freshman to learn the game, and those who struggle with it will struggle for most of their careers.
That ability to take a back seat for a while and learn the game will do wonders for Chaise Smith. Smith enters a backcourt with a D2 All-Conference level player in EJ Smith, an All-Big South level guard in Carl Parrish, and three really solid returners in Erik Taylor, Amare Anderson, and JD Bowden. Along with entering a system that has proven capable of developing guards like Kory Mincy and Rayshon Harrison. If that ability to change roles is there for Chaise Smith, then his talent will do the rest. In my opinion, the talent is already there for Chaise Smith; it is a matter of learning the game at this level compared to HS.
Final Thoughts:
If I had to pick one player to liken Chaise Smith to, it would be Kory Mincy. I think both guards are very solid, elite-level scorers who play with a special level of intensity. I also think their careers could very well align. Mincy, much like Smith, entered with a very solid group in front of him at the PG spot, and Mincy was forced to work his way up. Smith enters a backcourt with established PC players along with a solid D2 transfer up in EJ Smith. Mincy was able to learn from those in front of him, earning now a spot at South Carolina. If Smith can take stuff from EJ Smith and crew, he can follow in those same steps.
For this addition, I am looking at it more as a longer-term move, since I don’t know how much action Smith will get in a very talented backcourt. I do think Chaise Smith could very well end up on a Big South freshman team, just off pure talent, given the time he will see on the court. The longer term is where I see the true promise in Chaise Smith. To do the things Chaise Smith has already done takes a ton of talent and hard work. Obviously, the college game is a completely different animal, but if that holds true for Chaise Smith, Presbyterian might have struck gold.