There's a good chance that Coach Cal, a criminal mastermind akin to Boris, Lex Luther and the Road Runner, received the good news that Oak Hill product Roscoe Smith would be attending the finest university in America days ago, but told the four-star small forward to hold off on spilling the beans until today.
Why? Just to see John Thompson waddle over to his father and cry into his arms in person.
As you may know, the Huskies take on the Hoyas, denizens of the NIT, Saturday in our nation's capitol in a game that's sure to be as wild as Roy Hibbert's Berine Mac fro. So you can imagine that Hoya nation, already cranky after a 25-year layoff from their last title (even after being spotted two of the best NBA centers ever ... AT THE SAME TIME), is less than pleased that Smith, a recruit from Georgetown's backyard (well, if its backyard was 40 miles long), chose to become one of the good guys.
Oh, and if it couldn't get any more satisfying, Duke was the third team Smith was seriously considering. Today is a good day, my friends.
So how, exactly, did Cal The Conqueror poach another high-quality prospect out of the Md. area -- following in the footsteps of Jerome Dyson and Rudy Gay, among others that I'm too lazy to check -- to fill out its 2010 class? (Aside from the guarantee of a pro deal with more dough than Roy Hibbert's physique, of course) A chance to rule the world.
Via The Courant's Mike Anthony:
At the time, [Smith] said, "The main [thing] about UConn is coach Jim Calhoun, his work, the past, and also the legacy of the players who played here, like Rudy Gay and Ben Gordon. I can do it all. Right now, [UConn coaches] are telling me, if I do come to UConn, the world is mine."
More on Smith below:
Measurables:
Height: 6-7/6-8
Weight: 185 pounds
School: Oak Hill Academy (Va.)
Recruiting Rankings:
Rivals.com: Four stars; No. 31 overall, No. 6 SF
ESPN.com: 95 grade; No. 16 overall, No. 4 SF
Scout.com: Four stars; No. 6 SF
What they're saying:
ESPN.com:
"Smith has that reputation of being an excellent shooter and that is very accurate but since I have last seen Smith he has added to his game. [...] He cleaned the defensive glass and started the break on a regular basis either with a bust out dribble or outlet pass and sprint the outside lane. He didn't shoot well from behind the arc but his middle game was on point. [...] Smith is a big time threat on the offensive end of the floor and has the size and athletic ability to score at a high level.
Jerry Meyer, Rivals.com
"A good athlete with length, Smith is a slasher and active rebounder. He finishes well around the basket and has a broad skill base which is in the process of developing. Comfortable with the ball both on the perimeter and the interior, Smith is also a versatile defender."
Film Study
Smith, others at Nike Global Challenge
Verdict
A long, athletic wing who can't shoot the 3 and whose first three clips in the video above show him authoritatively swatting the ball out of bounds and then yelling and hopping around? Smith was born to play at UConn. From the highlights that I've watched, he seems like Stan Lite: He has the athleticism and whatnot to make crazy shots and attack the rim, but he's also, as the reports say, adept at rebounding.
He's also, according to the ratings, the best prospect in our 2010 haul, which already includes Jeremy Lamb, Michael Bradley and ABA star Cleveland "The Steamer" Melvin. And if he's as good as most are projecting to be and can emerge in his first year, he would be the perfect fit for the Huskies next season.
Kemba will likely return at point, and the frontcourt will be some combination of Majok, Oriakhi and Okwandu. The only other swingman on the roster is Tuff McJuice, and at this point, it doesn't seem like he can be a big-time contributor, let alone a starter. So he'll likely get a good shot at manning the 3 next year, which is probably a big reason he chose UConn (along with the whole offer of world domination thing, of course).