Player: Chase Smith
Class: 2028
Height: 6’6
School: Charlotte Country Day
It is always fun as a scout when you get a chance to sit down and watch, and you see an extremely young prospect who has a chance to be extremely special. The first eighth grader that fit that description for me was 2026 Latrell Allmond when we watched him at The O’Neal School years ago.
But I have the second player that I believe, if everything comes together, he continues to put in the work, and he continues to develop, he has a chance to be a nationally ranked player in a big way. That player is 2028 6’6 Chase Smith, a player I had a great chance to sit down and watch on multiple occasions at our Phenom Rise to the Occasion. When watching this 6’6 prospect, you can see the early flashes that could make him special and a well-known name throughout the country, again if everything continues to trend the right way.
He has the size and skill set that is incredible for his age, as he has shown that he can be a dominant piece down in the paint both offensively and defensively, but also be completely in control from outside and create for himself. Whether it was his ability to dominate the boards, block and alter shots, push out in transition and make plays off the bounce, and score in a variety of ways, Smith simply put on a show and proved to me that he has everything a player needs to be something special here in North Carolina.
Time will only tell, and we shall see how he continues to develop. But I have a strong feeling that he will be part of the next wave of talent coming through the state.