THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, April 12, 1995 TAG: 9504120586
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 53 lines
Maryland All-American sophomore center Joe Smith will announce Friday in Norfolk that he is entering the NBA draft.
Jack Baker, Smith's high school coach, said Smith's mother asked him to call a press conference at noon Friday in the Maury High School gymnasium.
``She wants me to call a press conference so he can declare his intentions,'' Baker said.
Those intentions are to enter the NBA draft, Baker said Letha Smith told him.
Neither Letha nor Joe Smith returned phone messages Tuesday.
Both of them will be at Maryland's basketball banquet tonight in College Park, Md. Letha Smith said Monday she would meet with the Terrapin coaches at that time to discuss her son's future.
``Nothing's going to happen until she gets up here tomorrow,'' Maryland assistant coach Art Perry said Tuesday. ``Nothing is going to be announced in terms of him coming out until she talks to the coaches. We'll discuss how to go about it from here.''
The NBA does not permit teams to comment on underclassmen, but officials from several teams who were in town for last week's Portsmouth Invitational Tournament said privately Smith would be one of the first three players selected if he entered this year's draft.
The 6-foot-10 center was presented the Naismith Award Monday in Atlanta as college basketball's player of the year, an honor he also received from The Associated Press. He averaged 20.8 points, 10.6 rebounds and 2.9 blocked shots for the Terps, who went 26-8 and advanced to the NCAA tournament's Sweet 16 with a starting five of underclassmen.
Smith ranked in the top five in the ACC in six statistical categories, including first in scoring and second in rebounding. Smith posted similar numbers last year, when he was named national freshman of the year.
Smith could still return to Maryland if he chose to after the June 28 draft, provided he does not sign with an agent. He would have 30 days to make a final decision.
``I could do that,'' Smith said Saturday.
A rookie salary cap may go into effect before Smith signs a contract. That would severely limit his income as a pro next season and may cause him to return. The issue is part of the collective bargaining agreement being negotiated between the players' association and management. ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo
Joe Smith
by CNB