D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera, Senior, Georgetown, Guard, 6’3, 215
(2014-15, 34.4 mpg) 16.3 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 3.2 apg, 1.6 spg, 1.6 tpg
42.1 FG%, 86.1 FT%, 38.7 3FG%, 58.3 TS%, 51.7 eFG%
24.0 USG%, 20.2 AST%, 10.4 TOV%, 2.9 STL%, 1.9:1 A/TO
DOB: 12/20/1992 (22) Hometown: Indianapolis, Indiana
2015 First Team All-Big East
The Watch List is not meant to replace full scouting reports and is only meant as a guide for who and what to watch for this upcoming season
After flirting with the idea of turning pro after last season, Smith-Rivera is back for his senior season, looking to help lead the Hoyas back to another NCAA Tournament. With decent size at 6’3 and a solid build, Smith-Rivera is a capable ballhandler and shooter, and able to play at either guard spot. Smith-Rivera’s top talent is his scoring ability, showing a quick, consistent shooting motion and fast release, with range out to the NBA three-point line. Smith-Rivera has hit 138 threes the past two seasons, at about 39 percent, and his percentage could be a bit higher. Though the Georgetown offense can lead to a lot of easy baskets with its Princeton-like movement, it can also eat up a lot of clock, and Smith-Rivera was often forced to put up last-second shots to beat the shot clock, whether it was a good look or not. He is a capable shooter off the dribble, both in the mid-range area and behind the arc, and his ability to pull-up and shoot quickly in transition is a great benefit to the Hoyas. Smith-Rivera uses screens well to create space, whether with or off the ball, and his sharp, quick movements to get free often leave him in great position to shoot off the catch. As the team’s primary ballhandler, Smith-Rivera has improved, but he’s still has an average handle. He uses both hands well, and is able to attack the basket in either direction, though he can dribble a bit high and let the ball get a bit far away from his body, especially when making a move to the basket. He’s not very quick, but he uses his solid body, good body control, and a nice hesitation dribble to get to the basket, and while he can have some trouble finishing against long defenders, he is generally a good finisher and willing to draw contact. Smith-Rivera is smart with the ball, keeping his head up, scanning for help defenders, and proving he can quick the ball out effectively,, or pull-up for the shot/mid-range jumper before the help can get there. Smith-Rivera sees the floor well, and has good passing ability, a must for the Hoyas’ system, timing his passes well to his teammates’ cuts, and having a good sense of spacing and where he will find openings. Defensively, Smith-Rivera is an average on-ball defender, showing good positioning with the occasional ability to pressure the ball. As mentioned, he’s not very quick, but he moves well laterally and he understands the Georgetown defensive scheme well enough that he can force his man into help situations. If left in isolation, he has a tendency to play on his heels, leaving him vulnerable to quick changes of directions, as well as easy jumpers, though he does close hard on shooters. He moves well off the ball, and does a good job playing passing lanes, though he had a bad habit of wandering too far to help, often leaving his man wide open with no chance of Smith-Rivera getting back to him to defend. Smith-Rivera is a good rebounder for his size, looking to chase the missed shot down wherever it goes, and start the Hoyas in transition. Smith-Rivera is a good ballhandler in transition, with the ability to keep his defender off-balance if he tries to stop the ball, as well as good finishing ability at the rim, the ability to knock down jumpers off the dribble, as well as strong passing on the move.
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What he needs to show this season: Smith-Rivera did a good job last year improving his ability to run the Hoyas’ offense and make smart passes, even if his shooting/scoring numbers dropped a bit. He still has a tendency to force shots, especially mid-range jumpers with defenders close to him, and not all of it is due to shot clock issues. The Hoyas have some dependable scorers now, especially in sophomores L.J. Peak, Isaac Copeland, Paul White, and Tre Campbell, along with some talented freshmen. Smith-Rivera may not be counted on to shoulder as much scoring, and that’s a good thing for his game, because his ability to create offense for others off the dribble is the biggest thing he needs to work on, though with Coach Thompson’s offensive system, the onus is spread to all spots. To go along with that, Smith-Rivera should become a more reliable ballhandler, and though he will never be a very fast guard, his strength and ability to lure defenders should be enough to create opportunities for him and his teammates. Defensively, Smith-Rivera has a great understanding of what he needs to do; he just doesn’t always have the speed to do it. There is some room for him to improve how he moves on the defensive end, and a little bit of foot speed can go a long way for him. He does a good job getting through screens, which doesn’t allow other teams to force switches. Smith-Rivera will try to do too much as a help defender, and while it pays off at times, he needs better discipline in not leaving his man with too much space and no way to get back to him.
Where he fits at the next level: When Smith-Rivera contemplated going pro after last season, he was considered a long shot to make it to the NBA level, and another year in school at 22/23 years old isn’t going to help that any. However, Smith-Rivera is a skilled shooter, sees the floor well, makes good passes, and has strong leadership qualities. The main thing working against him right now is his ability to defend quicker guards, especially at the point guard position, where he will likely end up at 6’3. If Smith-Rivera can make the needed defensive improvements, there is a lot to like about his ability as a back-up point guard at the next level, with the ability to score as needed, but he will have a lot to prove before next June to make it happen. In another scenario outside the NBA, Smith-Rivera will be highly sought after for his skills.
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