Former Clinton star leaving Alabama to play for Maryland
Published 1:43 pm Tuesday, May 12, 2020
COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — The Maryland men’s basketball team has signed forward Galin Smith, who appeared in 94 games over the past three seasons at Alabama.
The 6-foot-9 Smith has one year of eligibility remaining, effective immediately.
Smith played high school basketball at Clinton High School in Mississippi, where he was twice named to the All-State team and played in the 2017 Mississippi-Alabama All-Star Game.
He had 20 starts with the Crimson Tide and shot 56 percent from the floor. He averaged 2.4 points and 2.1 rebounds per game, while playing 12.6 minutes per game. Smith played in 31 games and started seven in the 2019-20 season. He scored a season-high 11 points in a 90-69 win over Mississippi State on Jan. 8.
“Maryland fans can expect to see hunger, passion and effort from me every time I step foot on the court,” Smith said in a statement.
He can help fill the void left by the departure of forward Jalen Smith, who passed up his final two years of eligibility to enter the NBA draft.
“Galin is exactly what we were looking for in a veteran 5-man with great strength and size,” Maryland coach Mark Turgeon said. “He is an experienced post player who will help us right away. He can score and defend effectively in the low post and has the ability to get out on the break.”