The nation's fifth-rated combo guard honors father with epic scoring performance.
Video: LSU commit scores emotional 59 pointsSee the 4-star score from all over the floor.Ja'Vonte Smart of
Scotlandville (Baton Rouge, La.) is already proving to be a dark horse National Player of the Year candidate.
The LSU commit erupted for 59 points Saturday in an 85-77 victory over Little Elm (Texas) at the Thanksgiving Hoopfest.
Smart was17-of-25 from the field and connected on 18-of-22 free throw attempts. The 4-star also nailed seven 3-pointers along with eight rebounds and six assists.
But his dazzling performance was special for a far more personal reason.
"Today was my dad's birthday," Smart told
Ballislife. "I was planning on getting 42 points because today he was turning 42 years old. He died when I was 7. I give it all to him."
The touching tribute is similar to that of NBA star Chris Paul,who, back in high school, dropped 61 points in a game to honor his 61-year-old grandfather who had been killed a few days earlier.
Smart is pegged as the No. 29 overall prospect in the Class of 2018 by
247Sports.com. The nation's fifth-rated combo guard is averaging 38 points, 11 rebounds and 8.7 assists per game for the 3-1 Hornets.
It's also worth noting the No. 1 recruit in Louisiana has garnered MaxPreps All-American honors in each of his past three seasons.
LSU commit Ja'Vonte Smart posted 59 points in Chris Paul-like tribute to his father.
File Photo by Steve Dalmado
