Long on strength
http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/sports/basketball/15690384.htm
Undersized rookie Smith still expects to haul down rebounds
MANKATO, Minn. — Undersized power forwards are everywhere in college
basketball. Few make it big in the NBA.
Craig Smith is fighting that battle.
For him, the good news is that the Timberwolves will need every rebound
he can provide.
That's why he shouldn't have to worry about making the team as a second-round
pick. With his rebounding skills and the NBADevelopment League as a fallback,
Smith isn't in jeopardy of being cut.
He will have to prove himself to earn minutes, but so far, he has made a
favorable impression. Coach Dwane Casey said Smith has been a pleasant
surprise in training camp and summer workouts.
Smith's strength is rebounding, a major concern for the Timberwolves,
who opened training camp Monday in Mankato.
The Wolves finished 27th in the NBA in rebounding last season, despite
the fact that Kevin Garnett led the league.
Smith knows that's where he can help. The Wolves won't need any scoring
from Smith this season. Rebounding will be the best way for Smith to earn
playing time.
"My strength has always been rebounding," he said. "I'll try to hopefully
come in and grab as many boards as I can."
A 6-foot-7, 250-pound power forward from Boston College, Smith's lack of
size prevented him from going in the first round of the draft. And there
were skeptics who wondered whether Smith was drafted too high when the
Wolves selected him early in the second round, 36th overall.
On draft night, ESPN analyst Jay Bilas had this assessment of Smith:
"An undersized power forward. He uses his body well, but he's an in-between
size in the NBA. He's kind of a classic tweener. But I think with a
6-9 wingspan, he's got a chance because he can score and he can rebound.
"I just have some questions about his ability to get shots off in the
interior in the NBA, playing against bigger guys. He doesn't have a whole
lot of lift, and I wonder if he's a little bit too small to be really
competitive at the four spot. But I'll tell you what, the guy is tough
as nails. Can he play in the NBA? Absolutely. Should he have been drafted
this high? … Maybe not."
Vice president of basketball operations Kevin McHale said he remembered
going to a Boston College game when Smith was a freshman in 2002-03.
"He had 18 points and 12 rebounds and was just a man," McHale said.
That game left an impression on McHale. Three seasons later, Smith
averaged 17.6 points and 9.4 rebounds as a senior at Boston College.
The Associated Press selected him a third-team All-American.
McHale doesn't seem worried about Smith's height and sees other positives.
"Years ago, 6-7 was impossible to play power forward, but now that's
nothing," McHale said. "He has a very high basketball IQ. … He's a
rugged dude. He's big and strong."
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