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(2017) PG Mark Smith to Illinois

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I have heard some legitimate rumors that would back this back ;) lol. Is he still coaching Lamar or did he call it quits. I honestly stopped following him once he got the Lamar job.

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Lamar fired Pat in 2014. Last I saw he was a scout for the Pacers


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#iubb class of 2017 target Mark Smith wins Illinois Mr. Basketball one day after winning Gatorade Player of the Year in Illinois.

Edwardsville senior point guard Mark Smith was named the 2016-17 Gatorade Illinois Boys’ Basketball Player of the Year on Monday. 

The 6-foot-4 Smith, who averaged a team-high 21.9 points, 8.4 assists and 8.2 rebounds, is the first Edwardsville player to receive the honor in the 32-year history of the award.

“It’s such a great honor. So many players have gotten the award, Derrick Rose and Jabari Parker. I’m just blessed to be considered for an award with those athletes,” Smith said. “I am just very honored to have this opportunity. I never thought I would be in this conversation with such great players in Illinois. To win this is really special.”

Chicago Morgan Park’s Charlie Moore was last year’s recipient. Current NBA players Jabari Parker and Derrick Rose, both of Chicago Simeon, have also won the award.

Smith learned he had won the award Monday morning. He received a phone call from a Gatorade official.

“It was kind of unexpected. I didn’t really know what to say. It’s kind of crazy to see all my hard work paying off,” Smith said.

It’s been a whirlwind several months for Smith, who de-committed from Missouri to play baseball.

Since then, Smith led Edwardsville to a 30-2 season on the basketball court and was MVP of the Collinsville Holiday Classic. He had a 45-point outburst against Danville in the Class 4A Ottawa Sectional title game.

“I couldn’t have imagined all that has happened,” Smith said. “I’ve always known I’ve been a good basketball player, but when I put in the work I never saw it happening like this. I thank God. He’s blessed me with these opportunities. Seeing all my hard work pay off is great.”

Smith, a four-star shooting guard according to Scout.com, has offers from Boston College, Butler, California, DePaul, Georgia Tech, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas State, Missouri, Northwestern, Ohio State, Texas and Utah, among a handful of mid-major programs.

“I’ve been hearing from coaches nonstop. It’s crazy. I’m trying to focus on school,” Smith said.

Illinois and Missouri recently hired new coaches.

Brad Underwood was hired by Illinois on Saturday, two days after Cuonzo Martin was named head coach at Missouri. Both coaches had their introductory press conferences Monday.

Smith has already heard from both coaches.

“The day they got hired,” Smith said of when he heard from Underwood and Martin. “It’s special that they are thinking of me like that and being able to start a relationship with those coaches. For them to call me with all they have going on means a lot.”

Smith, who has a 3.24 GPA and is a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter at EHS, is eying April 12 for a college decision. It’s the next signing period for NCAA Division I men’s basketball.

“I’m excited to make a decision by April 12 or sooner,” Smith said.

As a Gatorade Player of the Year, Smith will be able to select a national or local youth sports organization to receive a grant as part of the Gatorade Play It Forward program. Every Gatorade Player of the Year state winner receives a $1,000 grant to donate and will have the opportunity to enter for an additional $10,000 spotlight grant by writing a brief essay explaining why their selected organization deserves additional support. 

The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track and field.

The selection process is administered by the Gatorade Player of the Year Selection Committee, which work with top sport-specific experts and a media advisory board of accomplished prep sports journalists.

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