New Commitment (7/6/24): Baron Smith Jr

Glory to the Green · July 7

Hunter Green · July 7

Transfer?

emmitt01 · July 7

1 hour ago, Hunter Green said:

Transfer?

High school recruit, flipped him from East Carolina.

https://247sports.com/recruitment/baron-smith-159529/recruitinterests/

97and03 · July 7

What’s the story with him still being available this late?

BleedingGreen · July 7

F Grant Newell, B. Lorient

G /F Jonathan Massie, R. Walker, M. Stone

PG L. Jossell, Jasper Floyd

G Atin Wright , Alex Cotton ,Tyran Mason

P Brock Vice, Sissoko, Baron Smith

i like it!!

Glory to the Green · July 7

48 minutes ago, 97and03 said:

What’s the story with him still being available this late?

It just says he backed out…no real reason.

SUMG · July 7

That's a great pickup. Much better than our 13th signees of the last several seasons.

Matt from A700 · July 8

Oh wow, I'd seen his face on my Twitter timeline all day today but thought he was a commit graduating from HS in 2025. Didn't realize he was coming on for this season! There's still hope for developing local talent into four/five-year players at UNT...

But come on Burt Vito! There was this debate last offseason. It's not a rebuild! We're reloading!

ScreamingEaglesFan · July 8

Considering the teams in his district it makes it even more impressive that he was first team all district.

Edited July 8 by ScreamingEaglesFan

MCMLXXX · July 8

According to the ECU Press Release he was the leading rebounder in Texas 6A.

Smith led the 6A level of Texas High School basketball in rebounding two straight years. He brought in 855 career rebounds, 353 in a single season, and 26 in one game. All are school records. Smith was named an 8-6A First Team All-District selection.

ECU picks up commitment from three-star big Baron Smith Jr. (247sports.com)

GrandGreen · July 8

NT now has 5 players signed/committed that are 6'9 or over. Sissoko, Newell, Lorient, Vice and Smith

A lot of size and maybe not much quickness with the shortest players 6'1, 6'1, and 6'3. Other guards listed at 6'4, 6'5, 6'5, 6'6 and 6'6.

Seems like a completely different team concept that NT is going to use versus the past. With only one player returning that was used much in Walker, it obviously a developmental team. I thrust that NT will still be a defense first team, but how that works with this very tall squad will be interesting.

97and03 · July 8

12 hours ago, Glory to the Green said:

It just says he backed out…no real reason.

My question was more about why he was still on the market in the spring/summer. According to his timeline, ECU offer wasn’t until May. Last offer before that was summer 2023. Must have been a late qualifier.
https://247sports.com/Player/baron-smith-46136357/TimelineEvents/

Wag Tag · July 8

Wow, do we have a better recruiter than Mc??? Awesome pick up.

emmitt01 · July 8

7 hours ago, Wag Tag said:

Wow, do we have a better recruiter than Mc??? Awesome pick up.

Who is Mc? And why would he be recruiting for us?

ADLER · July 9

From 247: 247Sports ranks Smith the 51st-best high school center in the 2024 class. He's also ranked the 29th-best player in Texas.

Smith helped guide Haltom to a 21-12 record last season, averaging 12.9 points and 10.7 rebounds per game. Smith led the 6A level of Texas High School basketball in rebounding two straight years. He brought in 855 career rebounds, 353 in a single season, and 26 in one game. All are school records. Smith was named an 8-6A First Team All-District selection.

As a senior, Smith shot 59 percent from the floor. He made 67 percent of his free throw tries on 130 attempts, and hit 10-of-30 three-point tries. Smith shot 62 percent on two-point attempts. Smith averaged 11.4 points and 11.4 rebounds per game as a junior.

MeanGreenZen · July 9

On 7/8/2024 at 1:22 AM, GrandGreen said:

NT now has 5 players signed/committed that are 6'9 or over. Sissoko, Newell, Lorient, Vice and Smith

A lot of size and maybe not much quickness with the shortest players 6'1, 6'1, and 6'3. Other guards listed at 6'4, 6'5, 6'5, 6'6 and 6'6.

Seems like a completely different team concept that NT is going to use versus the past. With only one player returning that was used much in Walker, it obviously a developmental team. I thrust that NT will still be a defense first team, but how that works with this very tall squad will be interesting.

There is no such thing as a developmental team anymore for us. Unless you mean developmental for the P4.
Gotta win now.

ADLER · July 9

22 hours ago, emmitt01 said:

Who is Mc? And why would he be recruiting for us?

Mc Hammer Stop Hammer Time GIF

GrandGreen · July 9

18 minutes ago, MeanGreenZen said:

There is no such thing as a developmental team anymore for us. Unless you mean developmental for the P4.
Gotta win now.

So you think teams do not need to be developed? I guess you believe they don't practice anymore.

NIL is a process now at all but a few teams, of losing your best players and replacing them with the best players you can buy. A losing game for everyone, but the players in the short run.

A longer term view, NIL will further destroy competition and ultimately most of fan interest. There will be less D1 teams and player's opportunities will substantially diminish.

MeanGreenZen · July 10

Well, I think a developmental team is different from a team in win-now mode.
There is no longer any use in us taking “diamond in the rough” prospects because you will lose them as soon as they start to shine.
If a player needs to be “developed”. Let them do it in Juco, D3, D2, low majors, etc.
I think our program is good enough to always be in win-now mode.
Under the current system, our best players will still always leave, but we can replace them with new guys who are ready to win and don’t need to be developed for 2-3 years before they are ready to contribute.
Making that kind of investment in a player is dumb now since guys who are ready to play at our level already will be available all the time.

Wag Tag · July 10

1 hour ago, MeanGreenZen said:

Well, I think a developmental team is different from a team in win-now mode.
There is no longer any use in us taking “diamond in the rough” prospects because you will lose them as soon as they start to shine.
If a player needs to be “developed”. Let them do it in Juco, D3, D2, low majors, etc.
I think our program is good enough to always be in win-now mode.
Under the current system, our best players will still always leave, but we can replace them with new guys who are ready to win and don’t need to be developed for 2-3 years before they are ready to contribute.
Making that kind of investment in a player is dumb now since guys who are ready to play at our level already will be available all the time.

So true it is hard to get to excited knowing UNT will have to reload every year. Good news all G5’s are in the same boat.