June 2, 2011
Former Seattle Supersonic Shawn Kemp was labeled the Manchild because of his extraordinary physical feats and rim-rattling dunks. In addition, Kemp never played at the collegiate level and entered the NBA as a nineteen year old. McClatchy High's Shawn Smith is not as tall as Kemp but is in his own way a physical marvel on the basketball court as well.
At 6-foot-5 and 220 pounds, Smith is a 2011 wing player who possesses finesse and power on the court. His skills were put to use as McClatchy went 17-12 as he averaged 15.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.3 assists.
"Shawn's strengths are his size, mobility and desire," says Mcclatchy Coach Jeff Ota. "He's getting more mature mentally and physically. I was more concerned with his mental aspect and that has improved tremendously over the past few years. No doubt Shawn has the athleticism to go along with his body. Shawn can fill the lanes quickly and get out on the breaks fast. He brings fantastic energy on the court and is exciting to watch."
In the recent City Championship Tourney at CCSF, Smith suited up with Play Hard Play Smart Elite . Smith had a few breakaway dunks and just seems to explode to the basket with ease. That PHPS team features a few thoroughbreds in Kyiron Thomas and Dakari Allen but Smith was as impressive or more impressive in terms of his athleticism.
Coach Ota adds, "On the court, Shawn is learning how to channel his emotions more positively. During the second half of the season he played phenomenal for us. He did what the coaches asked of him and helped lead our team to the playoffs. Off the court, Shawn is fun to be around and full of personality. He brings a smile to my face every time I see him. Shawn is loyal, trustworthy, and a downright great kid. He's been to my house numerous times and my wife and kids love him."
As it is no surprise, some major college programs are interested in Smith. Cal Poly, St. Mary's, San Francisco, UC Davis, and Washington are the programs that are in contact with him.
Ota continues, "At the NCAA level, Shawn can be a tremendous asset to any team. He's played organized basketball for only 3 years. He didn't play his freshmen year and only started playing AAU ball 2 years ago. When I first saw him in his sophomore year, his shot was TERRIBLE. You can ask him. I was laughing at his shot because I thought he was fooling around. We worked on his shooting form and it has gotten a lot better. Shawn knows he still has to keep working in that area."
With that said, Smith has decided to go to prep school at Bridgton Academy, where he will work on his game to prepare for college. This is the same school that former PHPS member Charles Standifer attended.
At the City Championship Tourney, Smith came across as really laid back and easy to talk to. Coach Ota says, "One thing that I know he likes to eat is orange chicken. He mentions Panda Express to me every time he's hungry. Shawn is just a funny guy and I would do anything for him to help his career."
Watch for Smith's explosive dunks on the summer circuit. Then, expect his recruiting to take off as he preps on the east coast for a year. Finally, Smith can be found on the NCAA hardwood in 2012.
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