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A first-round draft pick native of Kersey |
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Written by Samuel G. Mustari for NEXTnc
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Friday, 29 June 2007 |
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Scott Greenly had two wishes come true Thursday night at Jackson's All-American Sports Grill.
* No. 1 -- That former Platte Valley High School and Colorado State University basketball standout Jason Smith would be drafted in the first round of the NBA draft.
Wish granted. Smith, a 7-foot center, was drafted in the first round by the Miami Heat.
* No. 2 -- Smith would be picked by the Philadelphia 76ers.
Greenly's second wish was granted as the 76ers traded up and made a trade with the Heat for Smith's services faster than the horde of Kersey residents could get another bite from the piles of chicken wings in front of them.
"We thought he'd go to the 76ers, or even Golden State," said Greenly, 48, of Kersey.
Kersey's Tammy Reinick, 47, wasn't as informed as Greenly but was pleased Smith will now play at the professional level.
"Heck, yeah, we'll take pick No. 20," Reinick said.
It didn't make a whole of difference to the trio of R.W. Jett, 12; Clark Jett, 11; and Kolt McDaniel, 11.
"I've watched him, and he's good," McDaniel said. "He's real good."
Smith offered a "thank you," to his followers who watched the draft on several rows of televisions at Jackson's, adding via a teleconference call, "they've supported me all the way through. I love Kersey. It's a great small town, and I put it on the map."
Smith has been on the minds of his former neighbors for several weeks.
"I've never followed an NBA draft like this one," said Levi Greenly, 17, who plays for Platte Valley. "He'll be in the spotlight the rest of his life."
Levi's older brothers, Justin, 22, and Tyler, 23, played with Smith at Platte Valley and were with him in Fort Collins on Thursday night.
"He's our hometown boy," Scott Greenly said. "He's a good kid."
To R.W. Jett, he's an icon.
"I've watched him play about 30 games or so," said R.W., who was sporting a CSU football jersey with Smith's autograph on the sleeve. "He's pretty good."
Clark Jett explained that his family owns one of Smith's Platte Valley jerseys with his autograph on it.
"Yep, we have it, and he signed it for us," Clark said. "It's cool."
The Greenly family had finely calculated what number in the first round, and to which team Smith would be drafted by.
"I think he's going 16th or 18th to either Golden State or the Phoenix Suns," Levi said. "I've kept track of this pretty close."
Smith's fans were quieted through the first dozen picks, but they started to fidget every time NBA commissioner David Stern stepped to the podium to announce the next pick.
None even took notice when ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith mentioned Smith just before the 14th pick.
When Stern announced that Golden State had selected Marco Belinelli of Italy with the 18th pick, the groans could be heard halfway across the restaurant.
A woman who asked not to be identified and who was in contact with Platte Valley head coach Dave Mekelburg in Fort Collins announced, "his agent just called and said he'd be one of the next four picks."
Within 15 minutes, the Smith-to-Miami-to-Philadelphia scenario unfolded.
"Hey," McDaniel said, "he's a pro. He's in the pros. That's says that you're really good." | Only registered users can write comments.
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