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Smith hopes to continue basketball career
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Kendall Smith will enroll at N.C. State on a full academic scholarship.
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Published: July 20, 2008
Kendall Smith came to Glenn as a point guard and grew into a dominant post player, retaining many of his perimeter skills while using his bulk to his advantage.
He left Glenn with a varied set of basketball skills, a strong academic resume and opportunities.
In the end, the 6-7 Smith turned down basketball scholarship offers from UNC Asheville and VMI and accepted a full academic scholarship to N.C. State.
Smith has at least one official basketball game left -- Monday's East-West All-Star Game in Greensboro -- but he's hoping it won't be his last. He'll then return to N.C. State, to continue taking calculus and trying to impress the Wolfpack basketball coaches enough to earn a spot as a walk-on.
"It was very tough," Smith said of his decision. "I had to look at both options. I could either go and play basketball, which I love, or take a chance at State and possibly walk on. At the end, I couldn't pass up the options the Parks Scholarship at State gives me as far as networking. I have to look at the big picture."
Smith averaged 16.8 points and 10.3 rebounds last season, led Glenn to the Class 3-A Western Regional final and made the Journal's All-Northwest team. He had a game to hang his hat on in the regional semifinals, scoring 34 points, grabbing 21 rebounds and blocking seven shots as Glenn beat Hickory in triple overtime.
He finished his career with 904 points, 590 rebounds and 174 assists in three seasons. During that time, he also grew seven inches and changed from a guard to a forward.
Smith said he has been working out in open gyms with the N.C. State players and that he passed a physical last week that will allow him to work out in the weight room.
"I have done well; I have held my own," Smith said. "I am definitely not sticking out like an ACC player of the year. But I went from definitely being able to play (at a different school) to the bottom of the food chain."
Smith, who said he eventually wants to attend medical school, said he is going to give making the team at N.C. State his best shot.
"If it doesn't work out, then God didn't mean for it to be," he said. "If it does work out, that would be one of the best things to ever happen to me. I would play for an ACC team, which is what I have wanted to do since I was a kid."
In the East-West game, Smith will be joined on the West team by guard Marcus Wright of Winston-Salem Prep, an Appalachian State signee, and center Victor Davila of Starmount, a Virginia Tech signee. The East squad will feature Ty Walker, a 7-1 center from Wilmington who has signed with Wake Forest.
"It's going to be my last hurrah playing high-school guys," Smith said. "There's a lot of talent out there, and I know it's going to be fun."
■ Mason Linker can be reached at 727-7324 or at mlinker@wsjournal.com.
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