Smith’s recruiting hasn’t been impressive. If White and Mbakwe were playing and performing at a level resembling their preseason hype, the recruiting assessment would be different. The reality is that after two recruiting classes the staff has yet to put a star player on the floor.
That might change and not only because of Mbakwe who reportedly has been impressive in practices. Sophomore Ralph Sampson III has the potential to become one of college basketball’s better centers. Freshman forward Rodney Williams, a wonderful athlete who can put fear into any entrant in a slam dunk contest, is a possible NBA first round draft choice some day.
But for now the Gophers’ talent and blend of basketball tangibles and intangibles doesn’t equate to the better rosters in the Big Ten conference. That’s on the Minnesota staff and so, too, is effort which although usually admirable was not only unsatisfactory against Ohio state but helped sink the Gophers in a road game against Indiana they should have won.
Because of timing, home state recruiting has been less productive than it could have been. Had Smith arrived at Minnesota a few years prior to when he did, the Gophers might be playing with a much more talented roster. Cornell senior Ryan Wittman (Eden Prairie), Kansas junior Cole Aldrich (Bloomington), Wisconsin junior Jon Leuer (Orono) and Wisconsin sophomore Jordan Taylor (Bloomington) are Minnesota natives playing major roles in helping their teams compete for championships. Smith arrived too late to be a factor in bringing some or all of them here.
Smith didn’t please some Gophers fans and probably University administrators when he allowed former coach Clem Haskins on the Williams Arena floor for a reunion celebration of the 1990 NCAA tournament team during halftime of a home game last month. Haskins cost the athletic department a lot of money, energy and image, along with a forfeited Big Ten championship, because of the infamous academic scandal.
University leaders are sensitive to past problems with the NCAA. In 2007 Smith interviewed former Gophers assistant Jimmy Williams regarding a job on the Minnesota staff. Gopher athletics director Joel Maturi didn’t want to hire Williams because Minnesota had NCAA rules violations when Williams was an assistant here many years ago. Williams, though, resigned his position as an assistant at Oklahoma State after being contacted by Smith and lawsuits against the University of Minnesota and Smith were later filed.