Report: Four-star Utah transfer Deivon Smith expected to visit Kentucky this weekend

Mark Pope and Kentucky will be hosting a potential starting point guard for the Wildcats’ 2024-25 team, according to Travis Branham of 247 Sports.

He reported Thursday that former Utah guard Deivon Smith will visit Lexington this weekend, tweeting out: “Utah transfer Deivon Smith is expected to take a visit to Kentucky this weekend, a source tells @247SportsPortal.”

Smith is a journeyman point guard at the college level who entered the transfer portal following a sort of breakout fourth year at Utah. In 2023-24, Smith averaged 13.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 7.1 assists, finishing sixth in the country in assists per game this season.

Prior to his one year in Utah, Smith began his career at Mississippi State under Ben Howland, but lasted just a year there as well before deciding to transfer closer to home at Georgia Tech.

With the Yellow Jackets, Deivon Smith came off the bench as a sophomore in year one and averaged modest numbers. In year two, his role increased, with Smith starting 13 games and playing nearly 25 minutes per game while providing averages of 8.0 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.7 assists.

It wasn’t until the move to play with the Utes where Smith flashed major star potential, rather than simply high-level point guard play. So for Kentucky, if he is indeed an addition for them, well, the ‘Cats are getting an immediately starting point guard, a veteran, and a supernatural athlete for a dude in a 6’1 frame.

Like, more than six boards a game along with seven assists per night is unreal production in the non-scoring stats. Heck, he averaged 8.5 rebounds and 9.6 assists per 40 — and still scored 18 per-40. Such strong figures ultimately led to Smith recording FIVE triple doubles throughout the past season, his most unbelievable achievement yet!

Smith even led the Pac-12 in assist rate (43.2%), according to KenPom. Smith finished the season ranked No. 3 nationally in assist rate. Those assist numbers have not been a fluke. Smith was top-five in the SEC in assist rate at Mississippi State and top-five in the ACC in assist rate at Georgia Tech. The transfer has one season of eligibility remaining.

In addition to triple-doubles, great assist numbers and a 40+ inch vertical, Smith even developed a reliable jumper last season. He only took 2.5 3-pointers per game but made 40.8% of them after shooting in the 20s throughout the rest of his career.

2023-24 was a remarkable year across the board for Smith, and he could parlay it into a starting role with one of college hoops’ premier brands.