THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, June 30, 1995 TAG: 9506300604
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: TORONTO LENGTH: Medium: 84 lines
Fittingly, the court Joe Smith will play on as a pro actually helped him decide to become one.
It was at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in March that Norfolk's Smith decided perhaps it was time to leave Maryland. During the Terps' final game in the NCAA tournament against Connecticut, Smith went up to block a shot and was undercut. He slammed to the court, injuring his left hip. He sat on the bench for the remainder of the first half, and returned in the second despite being hobbled.
``I was like, `That could have been a lot worse than what it was,' '' Smith said Wednesday. ``After we lost that game, that's when the thought process began and I realized it was time for me to move on.''
Smith moved from one coast to the other when Golden State - whose home floor is Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum - made him the first pick in Wednesday's NBA draft. It appears to be a good fit for both Smith and the Warriors.
Typically a No. 1 draft pick is relegated to a moribund team that tries to build around him.
Not so with the Warriors.
Golden State was 50-32 in 1993-94 and got knocked out inthe first round of the playoffs. Last season, the Warriors just got knocked out.
They slipped to 26-56. Golden State was pillaged by injuries. And the Warriors were wracked by dissension. Chris Webber feuded with coach Don Nelson. Latrell Sprewell feuded with Tim Hardaway.
Webber was traded, Nelson was forced out. The Warriors have a new general manager in Old Dominion graduate Dave Twardzik, and a new coach in Rick Adelman, who twice took Portland to the NBA Finals.
And they have loads of talent in point guard Hardaway, shooting guard Sprewell, small forwards Chris Mullin and Donyell Marshall and center Rony Seikaly. A missing piece was a premier power forward to provide interior defense and rebounding the Warriors lacked.
Hello, Joe.
``He's going to come in and help this team,'' Adelman said. ``We've just added a very fine player.''
Added is the operative word. Smith is not going to be asked to resurrect a franchise. Although Smith said he's ready for the burden and pressure that comes with being a No. 1 pick, the reality is it should be minimal.
``This is not on Joe Smith,'' Adelman said.
``I think I'll fit in pretty good,'' Smith said. ``Hopefully I'll go in and play right away.''
He could. Chris Gatling, who played at Old Dominion, and Carlos Rogers shared the Warriors' starting duties at power forward. Clifford Rozier played the position some as well.
``I think it's a great situation for me,'' Smith said.
He's given a chance to emerge as the starter. Also, there are rumors about a trade with Toronto that could limit Smith's competition for playing time. Golden State is said to be shopping Rogers, center Victor Alexander and three of its second-round picks from the draft to Toronto for one-time All-Star point guard B.J. Armstrong. The Raptors grabbed Armstrong in the expansion draft.
No one expected just a couple years ago Smith would be in the position he was Wednesday night. Coming out of Maury High School he was regarded as one of the nation's top 30 high school players, but he wasn't even recruited by several ACC schools.
Two years later, he was the headliner of the NBA's annual star search.
``It all happened overnight,'' Smith said. ``When I got to Maryland, no one expected me to have as successful a season as I had. I came out and surprised everyone - even myself. My confidence level just skyrocketed from Game 1, and it never went down.''
Smith's mother, Letha, has vowed to stay with her son for his first year to keep his feet on the ground. Adelman, speaking via a computer teleconference with Smith shortly after the draft, said to Smith, ``Tell your mother you'll be in good hands out here.''
``That's not going to change her mind,'' Smith said with a smile.
Asked later to explain the exchange with Adelman, Smith detailed the arrangement that his mother would live with him to keep him away from bad influences and help him manage his money.
``I'm still a teenager,'' Smith said.
He turns 20 on July 26. The Warriors expect him to be a man by October. by CNB