Louisville's Smith still undecided
Louisville junior guard Russ Smith remains undecided whether to jump to the NBA.
Smith is seeking input from players and coaches and was scheduled to meet again with coach Rick Pitino on Tuesday. Smith, who turned 22 last week, is projected as a second-round pick because of his size (6-1, 165) but Pitino said during the regional final at Indianapolis that Smith's quickness would make him a scorer in a fast-paced offense.
"If I were to leave, I'm leaving behind a great fan base," Smith told WDRB in Louisville. "I'm leaving behind my education. I'm leaving behind some accolades I could get. I'm leaving behind my teammates. But if I stay, I'm leaving behind a year of potentially starting my career somewhere."
Junior center Gorgui Dieng has entered the 2013 NBA Draft. Sixth man Luke Hancock, also a junior, will return to Louisville. Smith himself remains "50-50" about coming back or going pro.
"Toughest one I've ever made," Smith said. "I didn't have that many colleges. When I got the University of Louisville (scholarship), it was a landslide. I came here. ... I've never made a decision this big in my life. I lose sleep. I've been losing sleep, especially the last week and a half. I've been trying to work out just to keep my mind off of it. It's really tough. It's not easy."
