Analysis: UNLV’s athletic forward Anthony Smith is all hustle

By Mike Grimala (contact)

Thursday, June 15, 2017 | 2 a.m.

When Anthony Smith committed to UNLV on Jan. 16, the program was in a different place. The Rebels were scuffling their way toward a 10-21 record, and with a roster that had been pieced together at the last minute, it didn’t look like an immediate turnaround was on the horizon.

Viewed through that lens, Smith was an intriguing prospect. The 6-foot-7 forward was raw — he didn't play basketball in high school — but he was producing at the junior college level (20.5 points, 8.8 rebounds per game last year), and his eye-popping athleticism offered hope that he could be molded into a Division I contributor at UNLV.

Things have changed since then. In April, Marvin Menzies added four more superstar recruits and completely changed the trajectory of the program, and expectations have been raised significantly for the 2017-18 season. Now the question is, how will Smith fit into that new reality?

After watching a handful of his games from last season, there may be a role for Smith on this Rebels team, if he’s willing to work hard to carve out a niche.

The most obvious asset Smith brings to the table is his natural ability. He’s got good size for his position and he’s a top-tier athlete, capable of playing above the rim with ease. His most impressive plays at the juco level usually involved him taking off in the open court, rising up and jamming on overmatched opponents:

He’s also agile and fast with the ball in his hands, capable of pulling down defensive rebounds and rushing up court to create transition opportunities:

There aren’t a lot of Mountain West power forwards who can make full-court plays like that.

Aside from his natural athletic ability, the other thing that stands out about Smith is his passion. He plays hard, giving maximum effort at both ends of the court and throwing his body around with abandon.

He regularly deflects passes, hits the floor for loose balls, sprints end-to-end and dives out of bounds to save possessions. When he’s at his best, he’s a whirlwind of activity:

That unbridled energy helps him a lot on the offensive glass. Rather than winning with positioning, as fellow juco recruit Shakur Juiston does, Smith wins with athleticism and hustle. Instead of boxing out, he likes to get a running start and jump over opponents to grab offensive boards and collect second-chance points:

In terms of physical ability, Smith has what it takes to play Division I basketball. But he lags behind in the areas of the game that require nuance (defensive awareness, shooting, vision, etc.), and that makes sense, as Smith is a late comer to the game and still low on experience.

Defensively, Smith is clearly still learning. He played power forward and some center in Feather River CC’s zone defense, and he struggled with his awareness and anticipation. He often lost track of his opponent, and he was consistently worked over by back cuts and other simple tricks:

He also plays like a big man who hasn’t had a lot of reps when it comes to rebounding. He doesn’t box out on the defensive glass, instead relying on his athleticism to jump higher than his opponents. That works with offensive rebounding, but on the defensive end it allows opponents to slip by him and gain inside position:

Shooting is another fundamental aspect of the game in which Smith hasn’t had enough practice. Though he shot a healthy 56.4 percent from the field as a sophomore at Feather River, most of that was achieved via dunks and layups. Smith made just 29.4 percent of his 3-pointers (25-of-85), and his jumper was generally unreliable:

In the five games we watched, Smith attempted 19 jump shots and made just five (26.3 percent). That’s a small sample, but his career numbers seem to bear it out. In his two years at junior college, Smith has made 28.9 percent of his 3-pointers (441-776) and just 49.7 percent of his free throws (88-of-184).

Smith will also need to tighten up his ball-handling. He could eventually be a mismatch problem as a small-ball power forward, but he’ll need to be able to face up and beat opposing 4-men off the dribble. Last year, he was efficient when catching the ball in the mid-post and using one dribble to get to the basket, but he struggled when trying to create his own shot from the perimeter:

When taken on the whole, Smith may not have the skill set to come in and be an impact player right away. Juiston is a superior option at power forward due to his consistency and soundness on the defensive end, and though there are minutes available at small forward, Smith may not possess the shooting/handling ability to play that position full-time against DI competition.

That doesn’t mean Smith won’t have a place on the Rebels. He could earn playing time as an energy forward who competes with reckless abandon for short stints, tips in a couple rebounds, creates havoc and changes the dynamic of the game. Every good team has a player like that, and that’s a valuable piece.

Smith with a 3-point shot and a decent handle, though? That’s an even more valuable piece. If he can continue polishing his game and adding to his natural strengths, he could serve as key rotation player later in the season and as a senior in 2018-19.

Editor’s Note: As the UNLV roster turns over in Marvin Menzies’ first full offseason, the Sun’s Mike Grimala will break down each new incoming recruit.

Mike Grimala can be reached at 702-948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Mike on Twitter at twitter.com/mikegrimala.