THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, July 24, 1994 TAG: 9407240175
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C13 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ED MILLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 68 lines
Joe Smith, better known to the basketball world as Freshman Sensation Joe Smith, returned home this summer for a chance to be just Plain Joe.
Smith could have played with his University of Maryland teammates in the Urban Coalition League in Washington. He could have played in Russia, as a member of the U.S. team at the Goodwill Games.
But he passed over both to play in the Hampton Roads Pro-Am League at Lake Taylor High.
``I've been away for a while,'' Smith said. ``I wanted to come home and play in front of the home folks.''
Before leaving for Maryland and winning acclaim as the best freshman on the planet, Smith - fresh out of Maury High - interned in last year's Pro-Am. By summer's end, he was among the league's best players.
This year, he is the league's best player. Through Friday, Smith led the Pro-Am in scoring (38.4 per game) and rebounding (18.4).
``When I played last year, (other players) knew I had the talent, but I had to prove myself,'' Smith said. ``I think now they're starting to respect me.''
Those who drive the lane without respecting the 6-foot-9 Smith do so at their own peril.
Smith has added some power to an already airtight game, swatting shots, slam-dunking offensive rebounds and scoring on a variety of moves inside.
Smith's also leading the league in autographs, putting his John Hancock on everything from T-shirts to tennis shoes.
``It's been fun,'' he said. ``People treat me like the regular old Joe. Except now they have a lot more to say.
``It's different than playing up (in Maryland),'' he said. ``There you don't have the people you knew and grew up with.''
Smith will be in town through mid-August, when Maryland heads to France for a summer tour.
MULLEN UPDATE: Also thumbing through his French phrase book is Old Dominion's Mario Mullen, who has been using the Pro-Am to play himself into shape for the Monarchs' upcoming trip to France.
Mullen, who missed most of his sophomore season after preseason back surgery, says his back is fine. His knees, however, have been giving him fits.
``It's tendinitis. Both knees,'' he said.
Mullen's ailments have left him carrying about five more pounds than he would like. But he expects to shed it before France.
And the extra girth hasn't slowed him much. He's averaging 27 points and 17 rebounds.
AROUND THE LEAGUE: J.R. Reid made his first appearance of the summer July 15, scoring 18 points for the Commodores in a win over Service Master. The San Antonio Spurs forward is the only NBA player who's been in this year. . . . New this summer: technical fouls cost the offenders $20. ``It's worked. We've only had four this year,'' commissioner Wayne Hoffler said Friday, right before Phil Crocker, who plays at UTEP, picked up number five. . . . Ahmed Wadsworth, a key cog on Norcom's 1993 state tournament team, has transferred from Robert Morris to Wallace Community College in Selma, Ala. The 6-foot-7 Wadsworth said he wants to play small forward, and Robert Morris wanted to use him at power forward. Wadsworth, who has three years of eligibility left, plans to transfer again after the season. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Joe Smith
by CNB