UCLA Basketball Transfer Josh Smith Heads To Georgetown

Jason O. Watson-USA TODAY Sports

One of the most frustrating UCLA talents in recent memory, Josh Smith, has chosen Georgetown as his next basketball stop. From CBS Sports:

"Josh Smith is headed to Georgetown.According to a source close to the situation, the 6-foot-10, 300-plus pound UCLA transfer has decided to go across the country to play for the Hoyas.Smith chose Georgetown over Kansas."

It was a wise decision for Smith to leave the UCLA basketball program; in his time there, he had been largely overweight and seemed unmotivated most times to up his conditioning. Throughout his tenure as UCLA’s big man, he often spoke of basketball as a chore rather than a game he loves. One can blame UCLA coach Ben Howland for this, while Smith’s habits and inability to lose weight and earn playing time consistently can also be to blame.

A change of scenery and perhaps playing under a coach who promotes the love of basketball (John Thompson III will be that man in Georgetown) could rekindle Smith’s passion for the game and ultimately, it may re-motivate him and help him get into shape.

While fans have whined and moaned about Smith’s play, the big man has been the Bruins’ most efficient player the past two seasons. Smith was always savvy offensively and he was never a liability on defense (except for fouling too often), with his lone fault — conditioning and weight — drastically limiting what he could do on the court.

Smith will be fine at Georgetown, leaving behind a UCLA hoops program that has been resurgent of late, but is missing interior defense (which has led to a philosophy that has abandoned defense altogether).

Here’s to Smith getting it together and becoming the best Hoya he can be.