Why Kennedy Smith is such a versatile threat for USC

That’s high praise considering Gottlieb has been coaching college basketball since 1999, when she was an assistant at Syracuse.

But that’s exactly what Gottlieb said following USC’s 78-58 win against Michigan back on Dec. 28.

“She’s an incredible defender. I’ve said before that I don’t know that I’ve ever had a better defender coming in as a freshman,” Gottlieb said. “Just her mind, her understanding of defensive schemes, and her physical ability. … Being switchable and putting some pressure on the point of attack, she gets it started for us, and it’s a really important part of what we do defensively.”

Smith’s stats against Michigan didn’t jump off the stat sheet, as she finished with 7 points, three rebounds and two assists. But she also had two steals while bringing a lot of energy on the defensive end and disrupting Michigan’s offensive flow.

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Smith has been one of the best on-ball defenders in the Big Ten all season. When USC beat UCLA twice in Big Ten regular-season play, the Trojans often used her as the primary defender on Bruins point guard Kiki Rice.

That defensive intensity began when Smith was young and going up against boys.

“I kind of grew up just playing with boys, and that’s kind of where I got my tough mentality from and stuff of that nature,” Smith told The Next after USC’s first-round NCAA Tournament win over UNC Greensboro on March 22. “I take pride on defense. I don’t like anybody to score on me, I guess you could say.”

What makes Smith so valuable defensively is her ability to guard multiple positions. You might see her guarding a wing on the perimeter, then switching to cover a big in the post on the next possession.

That versatility is partly due to how Smith played in high school. A star at Etiwanda High School in Rancho Cucamonga, California, Smith began her career as a post player. She transitioned into more of a wing as she got older, and her primary position at USC has been guard.

For Smith, her positional versatility boils down to doing whatever the team needs.

“It’s just playing my role, knowing my position, and doing what I can to help on both offense and defense, whether that’s knocking down a three or getting to the basket, and also getting stops,” Smith said. “[I’m] just finding my groove and trusting in my teammates.”

As Smith alluded to, it’s not just her defense that’s stood out this season. She has been among the nation’s top freshmen overall, averaging 9.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.2 steals and 2.0 assists in 28.6 minutes per game. She has scored in double figures 12 times and had a career-high 19 points at Rutgers on Jan. 5.

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Smith was part of one of the top-ranked recruiting classes in the nation. That group also includes Kayleigh Heckel, Avery Howell, Vivian Iwuchukwu, Rian Forestier and Laura Williams. Smith earned a starting spot from the beginning of the season, and Heckel and Howell have also emerged as key reserves.

But Smith’s freshman season came with an early hiccup, as she was sidelined for almost a month due to an injury that required surgery. She played a total of five games before the injury and returned for USC’s 72-70 win over UConn on Dec. 21, when she had 9 points on 3-for-6 shooting from 3-point range.

For Smith, the biggest adjustment to college basketball has been figuring out where she fits into a very talented Trojans team, alongside sophomore star JuJu Watkins and three senior starters in Rayah Marshall, Kiki Iriafen and Talia von Oelhoffen.

“Offensively and defensively, just finding my role,” she said. “Making sure that I know my position, fitting in, finding my role and things of that nature.”

With Smith slotting into the starting lineup right away, she knew that would come with added pressure, and she credits Gottlieb with helping her get acclimated.

“[Gottlieb] knew obviously coming in that I was going to have a lot of pressure as a freshman in the starting lineup,” Smith said. “But she always told me that she has confidence in me. So just acknowledging and embracing that.”

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On Saturday, the Trojans will face Kansas State in the Sweet 16, but they’ll be without Watkins, who tore her ACL on Monday in the second round against Mississippi State. Gottlieb reiterated on Friday that this team is still a very good and formidable group.

“I think the belief is there,” Gottlieb told reporters. “We’ve adjusted some things in terms of who is in what spot. There were not a lot of minutes that JuJu was off the floor. But we’ve got a lot of really good players on the team, and it doesn’t have to be that the play is made in the same way that JuJu would have made it. It’s that the play has got to get made.”

Smith is one player who can give the Trojans an offensive boost. She’s mainly been a spot-up 3-point shooter for USC this season, but she can also put the ball on the floor and make plays.

Throughout the season, Smith has seen the team’s chemistry grow and develop, and she’s confident it will carry through the tournament.

“I think our chemistry is very good on and off the court,” Smith said after the first-round win. “I really love these girls, from the vets to the freshmen. It’s been a great group so far, and I enjoy playing with them. I’m excited to keep playing with them and take it game by game.”

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