Super-Sized Smith
September 08, 2008 10:19 PM | General
September 9, 2008
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Not only are West Virginia basketball fans going to see a much bigger scoreboard when they come to Mountaineer games this winter, they are also going to see much bigger players standing underneath the scoreboard. One of those super-sized Mountaineer players is junior forward Wellington Smith.
 |
||
| Wellington Smith led the Mountaineers with 60 blocks last year as a sophomore.
All-Pro Photography/Dale Sparks photo |
Coach Bob Huggins wants the 6-foot-7-inch junior forward to weigh 230 pounds when preseason practice begins in October. Smith says right now he’s just five pounds away from his target weight.
Three years ago, Smith came to Morgantown weighing 185 pounds with legs like string beans. Now when he goes home people are amazed by the transformation his body has made.
“That is probably my favorite part,” Smith admitted recently. “People looking at you and going, ‘Wow, you’ve really changed. Your body type is different.’”
The reason Smith is packing on the muscle this year is because there are times when Huggins may choose to use Wellington in the post much the way he used Joe Alexander last year. What Smith gives up in size under the basket he makes up for with his jumping ability and athleticism. Last year he played in all 37 games, averaging 5.2 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. Smith’s 60 blocked shots led all Mountaineer players.
“Coach Huggins wants me to play inside a little bit and in order for me to play the minutes that I have to I have to be conditioned to play his style – the style that I like and the style that has gotten 18 of his players to the NBA,” Smith said.
Smith is coming off a successful summer having played two weeks in Taiwan with Athletes in Action. He said he gained a lot of confidence playing against some pretty good players.
“I scored more points there than I did here,” Smith said. “I was playing a lot more. I was doing a lot more things – dribbling the ball up the court and sometimes even playing the point. I felt like it was a confidence raiser knowing that I could still score and do all of the things I could do back in high school.
“When I went to Taiwan and came back I was obviously more skilled when I came back,” Smith said. “I kind of hurt my shin and it’s been hard for me to get lift. Once I get healthy I will be fine.”
Shin splints have kept Smith from doing the frequent running that he needs to do right now to be in tip-top shape when practice begins. While his legs recover, Smith says he has been putting a lot of time on the exercise bike and working out in the pool.
“I try to stay off of it right now,” Smith said. “Instead of running I ride a bike. I’ve got to get into better condition. I’ve got to be able to stay in the game for more than 20 minutes and be able to rebound and run the floor this year.”
Smith is one of several players West Virginia has in the 6-6 to 6-8 range with the versatility to play on the wing or in the paint. It won’t be the biggest team Bob Huggins has ever put on the floor but Huggins has had success in the past with smaller teams that pressure the entire court. Huggins may be able to extend his defense with this group of players.
“We’re 6-7, 6-8 versatile guys – a dime a dozen,” Smith explained. “You always see those guys coming out of high school and excelling at the next level. (John) Beilein brought in five or six players my size – me, Cam Thoroughman, Da’Sean Butler, John Flowers and Huggs brought in three other guys.”
Freshmen Devin Ebanks and Kevin Jones’s body types are very similar to Smith, Butler and Flowers, with 6-foot-10-inch junior college transfer Dee Proby being a little bit bigger.
“They’re pretty good,” Smith said of Ebanks and Jones. “Kevin is real fundamental but he gets the ball into the hoop. Devin is real flashy and he gets the ball into the hoop, too, and he obviously has more rise than anyone on the team. He is very highly recruited out of high school and he should do well.”
According to Smith, both have no problem with self-confidence.
“When you come from New York you really don’t lack confidence,” Smith joked.
As for Proby, a 240-pounder from Angelina (Texas) College, Smith believes he has the size and the skills to help the team this year in the post.
“Last year Jamie (Smalligan) was in there and he did a really good job of buying into what Huggs wanted,” Smith explained. “He always tried his hardest in practice and tried to make everybody happy. Dee is a big body, he weighs 245, and he’s a guy that we can put on (Pitt’s) DeJuan Blair and guys like that down in the post. I’m looking forward to what he has to offer.”
Smith also says Proby is pretty skilled for a big guy.
“He has a nice fade away shot and he has a nice pull up,” Smith said. “He can dribble a little bit on the wing. I think he’s going to do fine.”
The question for all three bigs, as well as freshman point guard Darryl Bryant, will be how quickly they take to the defensive end of the floor. Smith said that will determine how much playing time the new players will get this year.
“Defense is Huggs’ pet peeve. If you don’t play it the way Huggs wants it you’re out of the game,” Smith said. “I know that and I’m still learning that during individuals. It’s hard playing full court and you have a guy blow by you and then you’ve got to go all the way back and play it again.”
Smith is one of the players being counted on this year to fill the void left by the early departure of Joe Alexander to the NBA. Smith may not duplicate Alexander’s numbers but he believes he’s up to the challenge.
“It makes you a little nervous but excited at the same time because I know I have to step up and everybody else has to step up and contribute more than they did last year,” Smith said. “We’re all Division I athletes and especially from Huggs, he wants so much from his players and we know we have to buy in and we’re going to. His coaching staff is really pushing us to do that and I think people will be surprised with what we do this year.”
A schedule this winter that includes interesting non-conference games against Iowa, Kansas State or Kentucky, Mississippi, Ohio State and Davidson will give the Mountaineers plenty of work heading into Big East play.
“This is what I’m looking forward to,” Smith said. “I’m looking forward to accepting the challenge and just believing in what Huggs has us doing.”
