Transfer Reggie Smith easing into UNLV’s system during first week of practice

By Ryan Greene

Friday, Jan. 28, 2011 | 2:15 a.m.

It didn't take Reggie Smith long to get used to the 65-degree January weather in Las Vegas, but now the on-court learning curve slowly begins for the newest member of the UNLV men's basketball team.

Smith transferred from Marquette in late December, committed to UNLV in early January, and began classes last week.

The native of Chicago's south suburbs is starting the next chapter in his basketball education as a redshirt freshman after starting five of the eight games he played for the Golden Eagles earlier this season.

Smith took part in his second practice with the Rebels on Thursday afternoon at the Thomas & Mack Center, donning a white No. 14 scout team jersey (he'll wear No. 5 when eligible following the fall 2011 semester). He didn't work up quite as good of a sweat as the rest of the practice squad, which also includes UCLA transfer Mike Moser, Todd Hanni, Tyler Norman and and Mychal Martinez.

He's being slowly eased in, but that will change soon.

"As we go, we'll try to give him bits and pieces of our system," assistant coach Steve Henson said. "There's some things he needs to start keying on now: We switch things on the perimeter, some of our terminology.

"Every day (this week) when we're working, we say 'OK, here's what Utah is going to do, but here's what we would do. Right away, start encouraging him to talk. Defensively, you can see that he's going to get after it."

On Thursday, while the team watched film before practice got in full swing, Smith stayed on the floor with a couple of the coaches to get up to speed.

In practices moving forward, he'll not just help simulate upcoming opponents on the White squad, but he'll get valuable run at the point guard spot.

"We've had times where Tyler's been the only real ball handler in practice (on the scout team)," Henson said. "He gets dead tired, so we either have to get somebody who can come over and help us — Justin (Hawkins) or Anthony (Marshall) — or we put somebody who's not as comfortable with the ball in there. I'm sure Tyler was pretty excited to see a little help there."

What the diminutive-yet-built product of Thornton Township High showed in his limited reps was the athleticism blinding speed with the ball that made him such an attractive option for Marquette, who plays a very similar style to UNLV's.

"I'm trying to get after (the point guards) not to show them up or anything, but to make everyone else better," Smith said. "The wings, when they put me on them, I do the same things. I'm trying to get my teammates ready for all of the things we're about to come against.

"They were here first. I'm just trying to get in where I fit in. I'm not trying to force change or anything, just get along with everybody."

Smith's friendly demeanor has made him a natural fit with the rest of the team so far. He's living in an apartment down the street from campus with Quintrell Thomas, Brice Massamba and Oscar Bellfield, while spending plenty of his free time playing cards and video games with the rest of the Rebels.

As for while he's watching the team play in street clothes from the end of the bench, Smith said he's already caught himself slipping into his 'own little world,' envisioning how he'll ultimately fit in with the guys he's going against every day in practice.

"They're really fast and athletic, and off of the court, they're really cool as well," Smith said. "I think when my time comes, I'll be able to fit in."

The coaching staff has a vision for him, too.

Ideally, Smith will be UNLV's No. 2 point guard next season behind Bellfield, then after Bellfield graduates following the 2011-12 campaign, he'd be a prime candidate to potentially start as a junior in 2012-13.

""He's a player — He's quick, he's fast, he'll give us something different," Henson added. "I think if we were to give him two or three things to focus on, he could do some of that right now. Pressuring the ball, pushing the ball, that's an area where we're not great right now — Just blowing the ball down the court. We need to keep working on it, because, especially in league play, you get two or three fast-break layups, that could be the difference in the ball game."