JJ Smith, - Prep Hoops

JJ Smith

Power Forward

2028 Class

6'4" Height

Lakota East School

Midwest Basketball Club Grassroots Club

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Expert Analysis

Michael Roth

Prep Hoops National Analyst and Ohio Lead Scout

One of the better games I saw from Smith, he came out of the gates aggressive with an early 3-pointer, a floater off a closeout attack and an impressive skip pass to a shooter after an offensive rebound. When Lakota East took a lead in the third quarter, Smith had an and-1 putback layup to send the Thunderhawks fans into a frenzy. Leading his team in scoring, rebounding and fouls drawn, Smith certainly was up for the challenge against a physical Oak Hills team. With Smith and Brady Bowman Brady Bowman 6'2" | PG/SG Lakota East | 2028 State OH returning from the 2028 class next season, there’s optimism Lakota East can win a district next season.

3 months ago

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Shane Garcia

Prep Hoops Scout

Smith is a player who passes the eye test. He has a good size and great length. He has effortless athleticism. He can explode vertically and rise above the crowd, and finish over anyone. He did this multiple times in this event. Smith is just a natural hooper.

10 months ago

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Michael Roth

Prep Hoops National Analyst and Ohio Lead Scout

A player I got to see a little bit as a freshman for Lakota East, Smith played in all 25 games as a freshman and scored 3.2 points and grabbed 1.8 rebounds a night. Showing some versatility as a defender, Smith averaged over half a steal per game in limited minutes. That matched up with what I saw in their season opener as Smith impressed with his fluidity on his feet and ability to defend on the perimeter and in the paint. I’m interested to see how Smith looks this spring because I haven’t seen him since the early winter in person.

1 year ago

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Michael Roth

Prep Hoops National Analyst and Ohio Lead Scout

I was impressed with what Smith brought to the table as an athletic wing forward who could crash the glass and attack off the dribble against a closeout. Best in transition when he was running the floor and crashing the offensive glass, Smith showed some potential due to his size, energy and athleticism. Definitely a name to watch in the 2028 class from the GMC, Smith will get valuable reps at the varsity level this season.

2 years ago