http://www.nola.com/hornets/t-p/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/108823685822260.xml MAKING THE JUMP All-star game performance convinced Smith he's ready for NBA Saturday, June 26, 2004 By John Reid Staff writer Before the McDonald's All-American game in March, J.R. Smith wasn't projected to be a first-round pick in the NBA draft. Earl Smith, J.R.'s father, said that from information he gathered, he figured most NBA scouts had his son projected as a second-round pick. So his son was prepared to put his NBA dreams on hold and fulfill his scholarship commitment to play at North Carolina. This past season Smith was the best high school player in New Jersey, averaging 23.9 points and setting school single-season records for points (700), 3-pointers (108), and field-goal percentage (.541) at St. Benedict's Preparatory School in Newark. But his performance at the McDonald's game in Oklahoma City made him a bona fide first-round pick. Smith was one of the biggest stars among the top high school players, and it helped him decide to enter the draft. Smith showed range on his jump shots, and ran by defenders before soaring for dunks. He made five of 11 3-point attempts, shot 10-of-16 from the field, and scored a game-high 25 points to earn co-MVP honors with Dwight Howard, the No. 1 pick in the draft by the Orlando Magic on Thursday night. The Hornets used their first-round pick, No. 18 overall, to select Smith, a 6-foot-6, 220-pound shooting guard. "I pretty much knew where his next step was going to be after the McDonald's game," Earl Smith said. "Especially when everyone was saying that nobody in the NBA can shoot like that. Mainly we got a lot of phone calls. When we sat down before the all-star game, he was projected as a second-rounder. And I obviously said, 'you guys don't see what I see.' They had to see that he was the real deal." They saw enough. J.R. Smith said some coaches were surprised after discovering that he had not declared for the draft before playing in the game. "I decided from then on to come out," Smith said. "I knew what I could do, and it was just me showing the world what I could do." Smith did not work out for the Hornets during their pre-draft evaluations because of scheduling conflicts, but the team was impressed by his performances at several postseason high school all-star games, especially the McDonald's game. The Hornets want to get younger and more athletic, and Smith is 18 years old with a 44-inch vertical jump. "I made a big deal of high school kids and being a little leery of them," Hornets coach Byron Scott said. "But I also made a big deal of getting better and getting quicker, getting some youth in here and more athleticism, and this guy fits the bill. If you had a chance to see this guy shoot the ball, you know we've got a guy that's already well equipped to shooting the ball long range." On Friday, Smith met with Scott and Hornets officials for the first time. Hornets owner George Shinn gave him a team cap and a jersey. Smith will wear No. 23, because his favorite player is Michael Jordan. The Hornets haven't selected a high school player in the first round since 1996, when they took Kobe Bryant. They later traded him to the Los Angeles Lakers. "I think we got something that we haven't had in this franchise since Bobby Phills died, and that's having a big shooting guard," said executive vice president of basketball operations Bob Bass, who helped with the draft selection but will retire next week. Smith started playing organized basketball when he was 5. But he got started even earlier. "He was 10 pounds, five ounces and 23 inches long, normal babies are not that size," Earl Smith said. "When he was 3 it was so simple. I showed him how to put the ball in his right hand, bend his knees and push. It came natural." Earl Smith was a high school standout at Allentown High School in New Jersey and earned a scholarship to Tyler (Texas) Junior College before transferring to Monmouth. "He's been there every step of the way," J.R. Smith said. "He's a big influence on any decision that I make." NOTE: Scott is considering Larry Drew for an assistant coaching job. Scott said Friday they continue to have discussions, but no agreement has been reached. Drew has been in New Orleans for the past two days. "We haven't had anything done yet, but we just want him to see what we're all about," Scott said. "I've known Larry for a long time and I know what type of person he is, and he knows what I'm all about. So hopefully we'll be able to come together again." Drew was an assistant on Scott's staff in New Jersey. . . . . . . . John Reid can be reached at [email protected] or (504) 826-3405. --

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