Chattanooga transfer Malachi Smith commits to Gonzaga

Chattanooga transfer Malachi Smith has committed to Gonzaga, he tells On3.

“I chose Gonzaga because of the family feel and winning culture,” Smith said to On3. “I just wanted to be apart of that and have an impact on winning.”

Stay up to date on the latest news with On3’s Transfer Portal Wire.

The 6-foot-4 shooting guard averaged 19.9 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 3.0 assists this season, earning him the crown of Southern Conference Player of the Year. Smith also shot an efficient 49% from the field and 40% from three. The year before, Smith averaged 16.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 3.3 assists. In 2020-21, Smith was a first-team All-SoCon selection.

Smith is On3’s No. 18 player in its 2022 transfer portal rankings. He’s also ranked as the No. 6 overall shooting guard, earning him a four-star rating. The Belleville, Illinois native will have two years of eligibility remaining.

Gonzaga has an incredibly deep roster, and it wasn’t as much about reloading as it was returning. Drew Timme (18.4 PPG), Julian Strawther (11.8 PPG), Rasir Bolton (11.2 PPG), Anton Watson (7.3 PPG), Nolan Hickman (5.1 PPG), and others will all be in Spokane next season. There will be a few fresh faces too. Joining Malachi Smith from the transfer portal is Efton Reid (6.3 PPG) from LSU. Last but not least is Braden Huff, a four-star big man from the high school ranks.

See the top available prospects with On3’s Transfer Portal Rankings.