'Very high chance' that Tyler Smith will stay at UT if he can't raise draft stock

Tyler Smith of Tennessee is hoping he doesn't end up like the Dow Jones Industrial Average by the end of May.

He wants to raise his stock. His NBA draft stock, that is.

Right now the junior forward is projected by most pundits as a second-round pick in June's draft. He will spend most of May working out for teams, hoping to convince NBA teams he's worth taking in the first round.

"I'm looking for input as far as where I'm at at my position ... where they rank me," Smith said Thursday night at UT's annual postseason banquet. Workouts will pretty much be conditioning, going from drill to drill, working out with six guys that play your position. Right now I'm trying to get myself prepared for this."

Smith, who led the Vols with 17.4 points per game last season, isn't exactly waiting by the phone. He's busy working out, preparing to showcase his skills in front of an undetermined number of teams.

"I'm not sure how many yet. A lot (of teams) are still in the playoffs and some are calling that didn't make the playoffs, but right now I'm just working out and letting Coach Pearl handle the NBA deal."

If he is unable to raise his draft stock, will he withdraw and stay at Tennessee?

"There's ... a very high chance. At the same time, I just want to figure out where I'm at and go from there.

"I'm looking at a win-win situation. I could either stay in [the draft] and work my way up, or if I come back next year I'll know the process as far as what the guys are looking for and how the drill work goes."