In Baltimore, stars are known by one name: Cal, Brooks, Johnny, Ray, Carmelo.
Next up: Roscoe?
Walbrook sophomore Roscoe Smith already has drawn comparisons to former Towson Catholic star Carmelo Anthony for his combination of size and athleticism.
“It?s kinda good, but its kinda not, though,” Smith said, smiling at the comparisons. “Everyone expects me to try to do his thing, but I play my own game. It?s cool, though ? it?s not a bad comparison.”
The 6-foot-7, 185-pound Smith constantly is inundated with coaches? accolades and scholarship offers, ranging from Maryland to North Carolina to Georgetown to Connecticut.
And there are more ? Smith has two overflowing boxes of letters and information from colleges around the country in his west Baltimore home.
“All the hard work is paying off,” Smith said. “I?m just trying to keep on working.”
The hard work Smith speaks of is the time spent with his father, Brian, away from organized basketball.
“He?s always been the tallest, and he always had to play the center,” said Brian Smith, a 1984 Walbrook graduate. “But when we were together, we always did the small things ? handling the ball, outside shots. Now he can go inside and outside.”
That versatility has attracted an immeasurable amount of interest nationwide.
“My voicemail is always full. Roscoe is one of the top 50 players in the country,” Walbrook coach Kelvin Bridgers said. “His upside is tremendous. He?s a great kid, easy to coach. His basketball IQ is extremely high. Most of the time, if you say it once, he?ll go and do it.”
Smith is averaging 19 points, 11 rebounds, and four blocks per game for the Warriors, who are 4-7 overall and 2-2 in the Baltimore City Division I.
But his work ethic ? more than his skills, size, stats and potential ? is the most impressive part of Smith?s game.
“He?ll come down to that gym every day during lunch,” Bridgers said. “He?ll go down and work, get an individual workout and jump rope. And he?s a solid student academically.”
Smith, who has about a 2.9 grade-point average, is still growing physically, as he estimates he added between three and four inches since his freshman year.
“The thing about a young kid is that, he just sees things, and you?re like, ?where did it come from??” Bridgers said. “Some days you see a little kid, and other days you see a grown man.”
But once the “little kid” becomes a grown man, there?s no telling where basketball will lead Smith.
The best part? He still has two-and-a-half years remaining before he graduates from high school.
“We?re looking for the right fit for him,” Brian Smith said of the recruiting process. “He?s only in 10th grade. [We?re looking for] somebody that will help him grow as an adult.”
