Ryan Menezes
There’s going to be a Sports Illustrated cover in the fall that in some way features the UCLA men’s basketball program. Considering the expectations surrounding the Bruins this season, and the fact that Reeves Nelson got his own cover last fall, I don’t think that’s too bold of a prediction.
Guessing how it will look is considerably tougher, but let’s try to flesh this hypothetical out.
Maybe the magazine features highly heralded rising freshman Shabazz Muhammad dressed as a lifeguard about to figuratively save the Bruins from rough waters. Maybe Muhammad and his three fellow freshmen don mop-top wigs and instruments like The Beatles, to represent the hysteria surrounding UCLA’s new recruits.
Maybe costumes aren’t such a good idea.
Allow me to add another prediction to that list: On said cover, rising junior Joshua Smith, the key to the Bruins’ success for two years running, is going to be overshadowed by some guys who have never worn a UCLA jersey.
As Smith spoke after a Tuesday morning practice, still sporting a T-shirt he completely sweated through, he was as introspective as ever, reflecting on his first two up-and-down seasons and his diminished public image going into his third.
“People aren’t expecting anything of me,” Smith said. “I’m just trying to prove them wrong.”
Although they’ve received much hype, the freshman class won’t be the only players on the floor as the four new Bruins will team up with six returners and one transfer to give coach Ben Howland arguably the deepest team he’s had since Barack Obama entered office. They’ll be armed with Smith, the 6-foot-10 center that has the makings of a potential force ““ if only he played enough to show it.
As he improved his freshman year, so did UCLA, and the Bruins made the NCAA tournament. As he struggled to stay on the court last season, the Bruins couldn’t stay consistent and went to no postseason tournament at all.
To his credit, there are no more denials about his poor play or lack of conditioning coming from Smith’s end anymore. Smith has done some soul-searching and is approaching this season with a renewed focus.
“I can admit that last summer, I didn’t take that step to improve my game,” Smith said.
He said he’s lost 15 pounds from the end of the season, a stark contrast to a year ago when he went home to Seattle for the summer and showed up in worse shape than when he left, which had Howland irked. The UCLA coach was all praise for his big guy Tuesday after a practice session that was mainly focused on fast break offense.
Howland said the Bruins will look to run in transition often this year because of the team’s depth. On Tuesday, Smith kept up with every drill. He rarely looked winded, as was often the case during a subpar sophomore season, and was quick to post and look for the ball each time down the court.
“We’re going to be running so much more, he’s going to get in better shape,” Howland said of Smith.
Howland’s emphasis on transition play isn’t new. So, what’s different this year?
“Last year we really didn’t have the players to (run),” rising sophomore Norman Powell explained. “One, we weren’t in shape. Two, when we played against more athletic teams than us you could see they were faster. We were more set-it-up on offense and running plays. This year it seems like our players are really looking forward to getting up and down the court. When you have the players to do so, it comes easy.”
Smith will be forced to keep up, understanding the strategy and embracing the challenge. It helps that he has rededicated himself to the sport, finally finding motivation to be better instead of relying on his physical gifts.
“I questioned how much I wanted to play basketball,” Smith said. “I never really loved the game. I started playing in sixth grade because I got cut from my baseball team. I really loved baseball but my dad was like, “˜Yo, you’re not going to play baseball.’ I picked up a basketball and started to get good at it.
“You hear about guys that love the game, who are always in the gym after hours putting in the work. I was never that guy. I just kind of coasted off the fact that I was 6-10. … The guys I played with in the McDonald’s (All-American) Game, you can tell the guys that want it ““ Harrison Barnes, Kyrie Irving, Jared Sullinger, Perry Jones ““ these are guys I played with that all got drafted.”
Last season, UCLA needed Smith and he wasn’t there for them. Now, he needs the Bruins.
There have always been whispers about his NBA potential. He’s finally viewing the sport as a career, but doesn’t have the resume of a sure-fire top draft pick yet.
Kentucky broke the college basketball paradigm of using experience to win a championship. But even the Wildcats ““ with three freshmen already in the NBA ““ leaned on the leadership of a few key elders. With all the talent UCLA has, Smith can help himself by helping his teammates.
“I have to look at it as a career,” Smith said. “I want to be playing basketball until I can’t play anymore. If that’s the NBA, overseas, D-League, whatever.”
Smith took to Twitter this week to announce a change in jersey number from his usual No. 34.
He tweeted, “New number new year new me,” attaching a picture of his locker room nameplate with the No. 2 on it.
“Two years have already gone by like that,” Smith said. “I can’t look back. There’s a lot of things that I want to change but I can’t.”
Smith’s words are reassuring, but I think there’s one thing he’s wrong about ““ there will still be expectations of him. Maybe not enough to make him the poster child for this UCLA team, but expectations nonetheless.
If you would like to see Howland in a sailor’s outfit on the cover of SI, email Menezes at rmenezes@media.ucla.edu or tweet @ryanvmenezes.