Fresh Prince of San Jose: Will Smith is more than meets the eye
NASHVILLE - In West Philadelphia, born and raised, on the playground was where I spent most of my days. Chillin' out, maxin', relaxin', all cool …
The theme song to the TV show "Fresh Prince of Bel Air" blared inside Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday night as Will Smith made his way to the stage after being selected fourth overall in the 2023 NHL Draft. Smith, born and raised in eastern Massachusetts, was in on the fun, personally choosing the walk-up music and reciting a few lines on ESPN's live broadcast.
That's William Charles Patrick Smith: maxin', relaxin', all cool. He was also respectful, articulate, and polished in his first meeting with national and local reporters, often flashing his full-toothed, Hollywood grin to the cameras.
Make no mistake, though, there's more than meets the eye with Smith.
Take the famous handle: William Smith's a family name. The 18-year-old proudly shares it with his dad, who goes by Bill, and his late grandpa, also Bill.
"I had one of his last business cards in my (draft-night suit) jacket," the youngest Will Smith said of his grandpa, a "pretty special man" who died of cancer a few years ago. "He can't be here, but I know he's watching."
Take Smith's scouting report, too: Everybody drools over his vision, hands, and the 191 points he posted over two seasons with the U.S. National Team Development Program. But don't discount what's beneath the surface.
"It's easy to notice and see Will's ability, his hockey sense, and his skill set, but there's a lot of fire between his ears," Sharks director of amateur scouting Chris Morehouse told reporters. "When you get a chance to sit down with him and go through the process we have over the last couple of months, (of) really digging into his character, that (competitiveness) is a huge part of it for us."
About a month ago, Smith overheard his sister and her friends chatting about long-distance running - specifically, how difficult it would be to run a mile in under six minutes. The Boston College commit couldn't help but chime in.
"Yeah, I could do that," Smith told the group. "Easily."
The topic of a six-minute mile resurfaced over dinner. As Smith scarfed down a 20-ounce porterhouse steak, he made a bet with his dad.
Not long after the family paid their Mother's Day dinner bill, Smith - hockey player, not track star - was at the starting line of a running track in his hometown of Lexington, near Boston. The floodlights were on. Ready, set, go.
"After the first lap, I was sucking wind because of the steak," Smith recalled, a smile forming on his face during an interview in early June. "But I was like, 'No way, I can't stop.' I finished with a time of 5:50. Yeah, I won that bet!"
As innocuous as it was, the bet showcased three essential components of Smith's makeup as a person and player: his confidence, his inner drive, and his penchant for being at the center of gut-check moments (no pun intended).
"That's just part of me," Smith said. "I love the big stage."
"He lives for the pressure," added Boston College associate head coach Mike Ayers. "He lives for the competition. He absolutely lives for all of that stuff. From a coaching standpoint, those are the things that you love to see in a player of his caliber. He seems to really thrive in those situations."
Smith grew up on Patrick Kane YouTube clips. Nowadays, he watches a ton of Jack Hughes, a creative, dual-threat center with a similar build (both are listed at 5-foot-11 and around 180 pounds). This past season, Smith, playing on a line with fellow first-rounders Ryan Leonard (eighth overall, Capitals) and Gabriel Perreault (23rd, Rangers) recorded 2.12 points per game against USHL, NCAA, and international competition.
He's basically a human highlight reel - elusive in one-on-one scenarios off the rush and generally the kind of play-driving center who consistently makes something from nothing. Head always up, Smith will often hide the puck from defenders, bust out a shoulder or head fake to one side of his body, then jolt in the opposite direction as his speed picks up and teammates get open.
"His vision is just so incredible. He'll be looking one way and then he'll make the play the other way," USNTDP teammate Beckett Hendrickson said.
"He has an ability to draw guys into specific areas of the ice so he can attack somewhere else. He's sneaky like that," USNTDP head coach Dan Muse said. "When a player gets to that point - where you're not just reading the play well but you're manipulating it too - that's where it can get fun. And he does that at an extremely, extremely high level."
Of course, the skill doesn't pop without the competitive streak, which is crucial to Smith taking the next step. For as long as he can remember, Smith has hated to lose as much as he's loved to win. And he's won a ton. He may be a scoring-chance-generating machine now, but success in the pros won't come easy.
Fortunately for the Sharks, Smith showed in his draft year that he's capable of leveling up over a short period of time; he improved his skating and displayed a high compete level shift to shift that some talent evaluators didn't see in previous seasons. The emphasis on strength training at Boston College should benefit a center who will need to learn to outmuscle opponents in the faceoff circle and in the corners, sometimes relying less on his elite skill.
"Smith is a remarkably talented player, and we think he will put up points (in the NHL), but he's going to cost a team on the defensive side without significant improvements," reads a largely glowing scouting report in HockeyProspect.com's pre-draft guide. "Even more important to consider is the (playoff) implications when things aren't going right for Smith since he doesn't seem to thrive with a physical or grittier style of game."
In the short term, Smith is focusing on becoming a better penalty killer while adding velocity and accuracy to his one-timer, which is already decent. "That's such a key factor in the game," Smith said. "You have to have a wicked shot to be able to score a certain amount of goals in the NHL."
Smith and 2021 first-rounder William Eklund are a bridge to a new era for San Jose, though the Sharks' rebuild is far from over. General manager Mike Grier's son Jayden went to high school with Smith, so the executive knows his potential future No. 1 center well. He also knows Smith's style of play will sell tickets in the Bay Area and his personality is relatable and marketable.
Smith will be the 14th family member to attend BC. His sister Grace is a senior, and Smith jokes he hopes to be a ringer on her intramural soccer team.
The navy suit jacket he wore on Wednesday night was lined with a series of hockey logos - St. Sebastian's prep, USA Hockey, BC - and a Celtic cross for another William Smith. The one who would come to all of his games as a kid and, afterward, give him a firm handshake and a $5 bill for candy.
What does Smith think his grandpa would have said to him after the Sharks called his name?
"He'd just be so proud," he said.
John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email ([email protected]).