Smith doesn't have any regrets returning to Vols

Tennessee rising senior Tyler Smith said a year ago at this time he would be in “The League.’’

But neither Smith nor anyone else thought he would be starring in the Pilot Rocky Top League at Bearden High School this summer.

Smith fought through jet lag and after-effects of two months of workouts to score 22 points in leading Richardson Construction to a 114-108, opening-night win over HT Group.

“What’s the mind-set? The mind-set is to win every summer league game,’’ the sweat-soaked Smith said Monday night. “Tonight was fun, but I’m still recovering from flying coast to coast and those (NBA) workouts were hard.

“I’ll be better Wednesday. I’ll be a lot better.’’

Smith said he hasn’t had any second thoughts about his decision to turn down at least $500,000 in Europe or a chance to get selected in the NBA draft to come back to the Vols.

“Nah, I feel a lot better about everything, and coming back was a great decision,’’ the 6-foot-6 Smith said. “I was careful to weigh all my options and not just jump on anything.’’

Smith, the most popular figure among the autograph seekers, took note of what the UT fans were saying about him on talk radio and on the Internet message boards throughout his process.

“I know a lot of fans could have turned on me when I was considering going pro,’’ Smith said. “But they backed me 100 percent.’’

Smith reiterated that the support from his Tennessee teammates was pivotal.

“I saw they were working like a team needs to work to get to the Final Four,’’ he said, “and we have the potential to do that.’’

UT rising junior center Brian Williams said Smith’s return creates competition on and off the floor.

“It’s who plays the hardest, who works the hardest and gets it done in the classroom,’’ Williams said. “Tyler can take minutes from the 3, 4, or 5 (small forward, power forward and post) positions.

“Everyone has been talking about Kentucky, but with Tyler coming back, we’re the team to watch.’’

Some speculated that Smith’s return could take away shot opportunities from rising sophomore Scotty Hopson.

Hopson doesn’t see it that way.

“Tyler coming back can only help all of us,’’ Hopson said. “He’s a leader, and all of the guys have that confidence in Tyler after what we went through together last season.’’

Hopson said his approach to the game will be the same.

“I’ll have the same role I had last season, but I’ll be more aggressive because I know the game better,’’ Hopson said. “Playing with Tyler prepared me better for the SEC, and he makes all of us better.’’

© 2009, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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