Completed Event: Men's Basketball versus #7 UConn on March 29, 2026 , Loss , 72, to, 73
/
Final
Men's Basketball
72
vs #7 UConn
73
Tomko: Smith Prepared For Upcoming Season Training With Michael Beasley
11/3/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
DURHAM, N.C. ? Nolan Smith spent his summer training in Philadelphia with his ?brother' working on ball handling, shooting and all the little things to improve the sophomore point guard's confidence for the upcoming season.
His ?brother' just so happens to be the former Kansas State star and current NBA rookie for the Miami Heat, Michael Beasley, who has lived with Smith and his family for the past eight years.
The pair, along with rookie DeAndre Jordan of the Los Angeles Clippers, worked out in the gyms of St. Joseph's and Drexel University over summer break with Smith not spending a single day in his hometown of Upper Marlboro, Md.
“I didn't stay in Maryland for one day,” Smith said. “I went to Philadelphia and worked out with Michael Beasley, who is like my brother, and DeAndre Jordan, who is with the LA Clippers now. I stayed there all summer on a schedule of lifting, shooting, working out and playing pickup probably three or four workouts a day. I stayed on that schedule all summer until I came back here for summer school. I think that the schedule I was on really prepared me for this season.”
Smith made sure to adhere to the advice the potential rookie-of-the-year candidate gave him during the summer workouts.
“He just told me to take advantage of college,” Smith said. “Now that he left he is telling me how hard it is there [in the NBA]. He is like college should be fun. Work hard every day you are here. Listen to these coaches because they are going to teach you so much.”
Beasley's advice that college should be fun came at an excellent time with head coach Mike Krzyzewski returning to the States promoting fun on the basketball court after leading the U.S. Men's Basketball team to an Olympic gold medal during the 2008 games in Beijing.
“The coaches really brought back just having fun,” Smith said. “Being around those NBA guys, I'm sure they are laughing and having fun. At the same time they are playing hard and winning games. Sometimes as a team we get very serious and we forget we are having fun out here. As a team, now you see us smiling more, having fun, just making plays and loving playing this game.”
“Everybody is ready to go and excited. It is going to be fun... Players are smiling, but we are going to be working hard.”
Both Smith and Beasley spent a year playing together on the same high school basketball team while the two were at Oak Hill Academy in Grayson, Va. (Mouth of Wilson). Beasley was a junior and Smith a sophomore the year the two shared the court. Beasley averaged 20.1 points, 10.4 rebounds and 4.5 blocks, while Smith averaged 16.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 8.0 assists and 3.0 steals and shot .632 from the field, .521 from the three-point line and .890 from the foul line. The pair guided the team to a school-record 40 wins.
Smith's freshman year at Duke saw the point guard post a .467 shooting percentage and a .386 percentage from behind the three-point line. He played in all 34 games, starting one and logging 14.7 minutes a game as one of Duke's most effective defenders off the bench.
But even Smith recognizes that he wore down toward the end of last season.
“Freshman year I think you can lose something as the year goes on, not knowing and second guessing yourself,” Smith said. “I got my confidence back and Coach K has really helped me with that to get my ego back up to where it needs to be to know that I am a player that can step on this court and be one of the best point guards in the ACC. That is basically what I worked on this summer.”
Late into last season, Smith suffered a mild knee injury in a 77-65 win over Maryland that slowed the point guard down for the stretch run. Prior to the Maryland game, Smith had logged at least 20 minutes in seven games. Following the win over the Terrapins, Smith only played over 20 minutes in one of the team's final nine games.
“What that did, it hurt him shape wise first of all,” Krzyzewski said. “When you don't do as much, and you are a freshman anyway [you get out of shape]. He was coming off of his best game and most important game. I think it hurt him confidence wise.”
“Once he accepted the responsibility of that situation, realizing he needed to be better, he grew from it. He has been healthy and he has worked real hard since last spring.”
Coach K has even talked to Beasley about Smith's progress and the position the sophomore is in for the upcoming season.
“I think Coach K has spoken to him once and gave him some wisdom,” Smith said. “Mike knows where I am at. I am in a good spot right now. Working out with him just gave me so much confidence because he has been like my brother and he has pushed me every single day to get better. It has been great.”
The hard work has already paid off for Smith. In the Blue-White Scrimmage, Smith shot 6-for-11 from the floor, knocked down 2-of-4 three-pointers, and scored 17 total points, while handing out five assists and pulling down five rebounds in 26 minutes. Smith wound up on the winning end for both games. The 6'2” guard even recorded a block.
Smith then started in Duke's 114-50 win against Virginia Union in the team's first exhibition game on Oct. 25 at Cameron Indoor Stadium. He played 20 minutes, scored eight points on 2-of-4 shooting, connected on all four of his free throw attempts and handed out six assists.
Coach K has been impressed with the pressure that Smith is able to apply when defending the ball handler and it is a big reason why the sophomore is expected to be the starting point guard for the first game of the season against Presbyterian on Nov. 10.
“Nolan for us puts the best pressure on the ball as anybody we have,” Krzyzewski said. “Since we play man-to-man defense, that discipline pressure on the ball is a key factor. Nolan could have a very prominent role on our team.”
“Right now Nolan would be a starter. Whenever he is in a game he should, whether he did or didn't start a half or came in later, he should think of himself as a starter.”
His hard work during the offseason is also getting praise from senior backcourt mate Greg Paulus.
“He has been playing really well,” Paulus said. “He is in a lot better shape. He is playing a lot better, he is more confident and we are going to need him to be a good team this year... I think the experience of getting a whole season under your belt is a big difference between high school and college. Having that type of experience the game slows down and you are able to feel more comfortable.”
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballHall of Fame basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski with a game plan for the country's future
Tuesday, March 31
Maliq Brown - Humble Beast
Tuesday, March 31
Sebastian Wilkins Big Dance Exclusive: Greenville, SC
Tuesday, March 31
Duke Press Conference After Round of 64 (3-19-26)
Tuesday, March 31
