So long, Baby T.
To absolutely nobody’s surprise, Terquavion Smith is entering the NBA Draft and will not be retaining his college eligibility. Smith explained his decision to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony this afternoon, saying that while he enjoyed spending a second year in college, he’s ready to move on:
“I improved my grades. I’m a year closer to getting my degree now. You only get one chance to be a college student and get that college vibe. There was no rush for me. I’m ready to contribute to an NBA team now.”
[eyes glazing over as I stare into the distance] …I miss those college vibes.
T maybe didn’t have the breakthrough year individually he’d hoped for, but it was a good year, and NC State doesn’t make the NCAA tournament without him. I appreciate that he wanted to come back and finish on a better note—which he did, and we all had a lot more fun in the process.
He heads into the pre-draft process as the No. 30 prospect according to ESPN, but I won’t be surprised if he raises his stock in workouts, just like he did last spring.
Thanks, Baby T, and good luck in the coming months. We’ll miss you.