Kendall Smith a Luxury for Mike Boynton in His First Year

Mike Boynton faces plenty of challenges over the coming months. He’s a first-time head coach in the deepest conference in basketball. He has to try and feed off the momentum of his predecessor’s accomplishments while simultaneously attempting to quell the pain of that same coach’s sudden departure.

And he’s dealing with a fan base that, while rowdy, is not afraid to voice its displeasure in the hollow dialect of an empty seat.

Oh yeah, his team’s best player from last year is now a Clipper.

Fortunately for Boynton, he may have an answer for the latter. He’s at least got a stand-in for the departed All-Big 12 point guard. His name is Kendall Smith and he’s a graduate transfer from Cal State-Northridge.

“With Jawun leaving, coming in and being able to fill a lot of that void, I just think it’s a great opportunity for me,” Smith said.

Smith has potential. He was an ESPN top-100 recruit out of Deer Valley High School (Antioch, Calif.) and held offers from the likes of UCLA and Connecticut before settling on UNLV. Things didn’t quite work out in Vegas and Smith spent the past two seasons showing out in the Big West Conference for Cal State-Northridge. He averaged 16.7 points per game and led the conference with 4.8 assists last season.

Smith also has experience. And the fifth-year collegian understands his role on a Cowboy basketball program in the midst of transition.

“I feel like I’m an older guy with experience,” Smith said. “I bring toughness, leadership. I’m a guy who’s going to come in every day, work hard, lead by example.”

Smith and Evans may share a common position and a common number (Smith will be donning No. 1). But that’s about all they have in common. Evans was the undersized playmaker. A whiz in the pick-and-roll. Smith, the 6-foot-3 athlete who shoots over and out-athletes competition, models his game after a local hero.

Evans may be a poor man’s Chris Paul. Smith may be a poor man’s Russell Westbrook. Or a poor man’s, homeless Russell Westbrook. That’s yet to be seen. He’s even taken up the #WHYNOT? banner on social media. The Brodie comparisons are probably more pipe dream than they are wishful thinking, but go ahead and see for yourself.

“As far as a basketball standpoint, I’m a bigger guard,” said Smith. “I like to push the ball in transition. I like to play fast, get my teammates involved. Things like that.”

Smith’s athletic gifts and his leadership are huge for Boynton in his first year at the helm. He’s got a veteran guy with obvious skill to run his offense. At the least, he’s game manager (alongside Brandon Averette) while Zack Dawson gets up to speed. At best, he thrives beside the likes of Jeffrey Carroll and budding talent like Davon Dillard and Lindy Waters and becomes another fan favorite in Stillwater.

New #okstate guard @Ken2Smoove might be a California native, but he’s starting to love his new home in Cowboy country. #letswork pic.twitter.com/ZO6NB1JGT6

— Cowboy Basketball (@OSUMBB) June 29, 2017