Playing alongside two highly visible, highly interested recruits can be hard for a young player to focus. But when you have the mentality that the five foot nine inch Donovan Smith does, you see it as an opportunity. It's an opportunity for instant exposure like playing at Target Center in front of 17,000 people on ESPN versus Sierra Canyon and Bronny James.
Smith so far for 2019-20 season is averaging 10 points and shooting a high percentage from 3. Smith helps Minnehaha spread the floor, especially when teams attempt to zone them. He's also a hard-nosed defender with a never give up attitude.
Q: How's the season been going for you so far?
A: Great, had a couple losses but we bounced back and fixed what we needed to fix.
Q: The Cretin-Derham Hall game and Hopkins game you guys seem to have fixed that stuff up. Vs Sierra Canyon and Park Center seemed to be the turning point. How was that feeling playing at Target Center in front of 17,000 people?
A: Man playing in front of 17,000 people is a feeling that just leaves you speechless. All eyes are on you at all times and for a high school game like that, that’s a players dream. That is the best atmosphere to play in and the best I’ve played in by far!
Q: Playing with so much high profile players and talent can be distracting. How do you manage it?
A: Playing with and against players like that high of a caliber can be very challenging. For me I go into every game the same. We got one goal and that’s to win, they’re players just like me and they got to prove themselves to me that’s the type of mindset I was taught to have.
Q: You guys are so incredibly deep now at Minnehaha, are the practices like mini games?
A: We go at it in practice every day, and for how deep we are, it only gets better. Every day is a dog fight but at the end of the day we’re only making ourselves better.
Q: How's recruiting going for you so far?
A: So far recruiting is going good. I have a couple colleges looking at me right now but I hope to get more during AAU.
Q: Any schools specifically? Or offers?
A: None specifically but my coach has told me about schools having interest in me. Right now I have one offer from Hampton University.