Getting a visit Thursday from a graduate transfer from Bethune Cookman. I believe he was 4th in d1 in blocks per game last year.
Jeff GoodmanVerified account @GoodmanESPN
Bethune-Cookman grad transfer LaRon Smith told ESPN he will visit Charlotte on Thursday. 6-8 averaged 7.1 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 3 blocks per game.
Player info ESPN page:
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/player/_/id/61297/laron-smith
YouTube Highlights:
Sounds like Smith would be a rim protector which is exactly what we need.
I like the shotblocking and the idea of a one and done grad transfer. That 26% ft shooting though is hideous. I didn’t even know that was possible and I sat through 3 years of Willie Clayton.
The play where he blocked Tacko Fall was impressive. Not that Tacko is any good, but he is 7’6.
Unless his free throw percentage improved dramatically, it would be difficult to keep him in at the end of close games.
LaRon is what we’re missing on our roster, an athletic shot blocker. We land LaRon, I can see us being a top team in CUSA next year.
If he comes here, then the team will be fairly balanced in terms of guys at different positions, which is definitely a good thing. Hopefully these guys can provide quality depth (and a surprise or two in terms of production in the post).
If Smith comes here, would that mean the other bigs that have been discussed likely aren’t coming, or is there still another scholarship left now that Scott is transferring? Or with Scott’s transfer, do we now go after another wing/guard instead? Curious who coaches would be going after at this point.
Currently two open scholarships, assuming Garvin and Washington sign as expected.
http://www.stateofcharlotte.com/recruiting/scholarship-table-2015-2020/
I was just looking at his stats from this past year, 3 blocks per game, only played 24 minutes per game.
I feel pretty good about our chances here.
Seconded.
4th in individual block percentage last season. Laron is the shortest player in the top 10, which speaks to his athleticism and skill. When Laron was on the floor he blocked 1/8th of the opponent shots taken.
While I have heard of Bethune Cookman, I knew nothing about it, so I went to Wikipedia. My first question is when you go to college in Daytona Beach, what do you do for spring break? Secondly, do you think we can get their band to transfer in?
The Marching Wildcats are a 300+ member unit that includes five drum majors traditionally known as the “The Five Horsemen”, instrumentalists, the Sophisticat Flag Corps and the 14 Karat Gold dancers. Known as “The Pride,” the band is under the direction of a Bethune-Cookman alumnus and former Marching Wildcat, Donovan V. Wells. The Marching Wildcats is one of the largest collegiate marching bands in the country.
4th in individual block percentage last season. Laron is the shortest player in the top 10, which speaks to his athleticism and skill. When Laron was on the floor he blocked 1/8th of the opponent shots taken.[/quote]
Looked to me that he had a heck of a wingspan too.
Looks like quite an athlete.
The only thing that worries me about our chances to get him is that this is his only time in his life that HMs could potentially come after him because he’s a big man with decent stats and will only tie up a roster spot for a year. That being said, I still think our chances with him are good and I hope we land him while he is here on his visit.
Jeff Goodman @GoodmanESPN
Bethune Cookman grad transfer LaRon Smith told ESPN he will visit Charlotte & UNC Wilmington this weekend. Also looking at K-State, UNLV.
Leon Gilmore, ex-target and teammate of JC Washington is also looking at UNLV.
Especially if he pays attention to what a program and a situation like ours just did for Uchebo.