The reigning Southern Conference Player of the Year averaged 19.9 points and 6.7 rebounds per game last season.
Malachi Smith, a former Chattanooga guard and the one of the top available players in college basketball’s transfer portal, announced Thursday via his social media that he is committing to Gonzaga.
“I wanted to have a chance to play for a Hall of Fame coach in Mark Few, to be a part of a winning culture, for a team that has a family feel," Smith wrote.
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Smith, the Southern Conference Player of the Year, received interest from Louisville, Texas Tech, DePaul and Stanford after entering the transfer portal in late April but ultimately made the decision to play for Few and the Bulldogs. While picking his next basketball destination, Smith was also exploring the 2022 NBA draft landscape.
He reportedly worked out for the NBA’s Kings, Celtics and Nets last month. However, Smith chose to withdraw his name from this year’s draft before the NCAA’s deadline.
Last season at Chattanooga, Smith averaged 19.9 points, 6.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game while shooting 40.7% from three-point range.
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Smith joins a Gonzaga team that returns Drew Timme, a former candidate for National Player of the Year, and two starters—Rasir Bolton and Julian Strawther—that averaged double-digit scoring production. The Bulldogs also return two key reserves from last season in forward Anton Watson and guard Nolan Hickman.
While Smith was a key force for the Mocs, his role could change when joining one of the top teams in college basketball. “A lot of winning teams that contend for titles have great pieces," Smith told ESPN. “Gonzaga’s Final Four team had four or five players that can play in the NBA. I know that being a part of a great team, everything will work out the way it’s supposed to be, as long as we’re winning games.”
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