Smith has bright future for the Midshipmen
Anyone at Navy taking a program-record 17-game losing streak too hard can look to freshman Worth Smith for some perspective.
Recommended Stories
At age 11, he was in a hospital in North Carolina, suffering excruciating headaches and facing life-threatening surgery to relieve a sinus-infection abscess that had traveled to his brain.
But the night before his surgery, according to Smith, a combination of hope, prayer and antibiotics relieved the pressure. Instead of the risky surgery, doctors drilled a hole above Smith’s eye and drained fluid, allowing him to resume his life as a budding basketball star.
| up next |
| Navy at American |
| When » Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. |
| Where » Bender Arena |
| TV » CSN |
“My mom [Sonya] stayed the whole night, reading the Bible, praying,” Smith said.
Seven years later, Smith is one of the bright spots for the Midshipmen, averaging 7.3 points and 5.3 rebounds a game, the most among the 10 plebes on one of the nation’s youngest rosters.
Smith is typical of the diamond-in-the-rough longshots who populate the Navy roster. Playing for a Charlotte Christian team loaded with college prospects, including Seth Curry (Duke), Akil Mitchell (Virginia) and Anthony Gill (South Carolina), Smith was a complementary piece. A broken leg heading into his junior year also hindered his progress.
Smith started this season in the rotation. By the end of November, he was in the starting lineup.
“He’s a talented young kid,” Navy coach Ed DeChellis said. “He can shoot the ball. He can rebound. He’s athletic. He runs the floor and he’s very conscientious.”
Early this month, after the suspension and subsequent departure of J.J. Avila, who led the Mids in scoring, rebounding, assists, steals and blocks, Smith has taken on a greater role, playing all three frontcourt positions. His heaviest workload came Saturday at Army. Smith scored 12 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in 41 minutes as Navy nearly ended its skid, falling in double overtime 69-63.
“I didn’t think things were gonna be like this,” Smith said. “I thought I would get some playing time, but I didn’t think I’d be doing this well.”
At 6-foot-5 and 196 pounds, Smith is usually at a physical disadvantage inside. But DeChellis believes he will be more comfortable there in the future.
“In two years, he’ll be cut. He’ll be 20 pounds heavier,” DeChellis said. “And people will go, ‘Where the heck did they get that kid at.’?”
Smith had other options coming out of high school. He also was recruited by Western Carolina, Furman and the Citadel. But Smith was intrigued by a trip to Annapolis and drawn to the “family atmosphere” of the program, he said.
“He’s been able to figure things out,” DeChellis said. “As a freshman that’s very important. Academically, military-wise, and basketball-wise, he’s got a grasp on things quickly. That’s allowed him to free his mind and just be able to play.”
