February Fire: Smart’s Prolific Month Helps Him Earn Two-Way with the Miami HEAT

SIOUX FALLS, SD – A specific conversation after the preseason with Miami HEAT Head Coach Eric Spoelstra and Javonte Smart  is coming to fruition.

"Before I left, he told me to not have a setback, to keep getting better,” Smart recalled. “He told me to make the most of the opportunity in Sioux Falls, work hard and eat right, and I would be back down in Miami."

Smart took his exit interview with Spoelstra to heart – and has made the most of his time since then, even when things haven’t gone his way.

Four months later, with ups and downs, Smart signed a two-way contract with the Miami HEAT on Wednesday night after leading the Skyforce to a fifth-straight home victory, while adding a career-high 40 points on 8-13 3PA.

There is no doubt about it, he is on one of the hottest streaks in the whole G League.

"It feels good. I'm not done yet, though,” Smart said of his recent play. “This is not the top of the mountain for me. As cool as it is to get to this point and to be playing well, I want more. So, I must keep working and keep going. You can’t skip steps and you need to fall in love with the grind. Once you get a little taste (of the NBA), you won’t stop."

This process and mindset did not start overnight. It has come with many trials, tribulations, and tough decisions.

According to Smart, leaving LSU after three seasons, where he averaged 13.0 points on 41.4 percent shooting, 3.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 93 games (76 starts), was one of the toughest, yet smartest choices he has made in his entire life.

"Leaving college was one of the biggest decisions I've made,” he said. “I really wanted to be a pro and didn't want anything to stop me. I had to start making my own decisions and from that point forward, I put myself first, and that was one of the best things I have ever done."

Smart entered the 2021 NBA Draft with the mindset of being drafted and making an immediate impact in the NBA. Unfortunately, that did not happen.

"Being undrafted, I felt like I was one of the best guys in the draft,” he noted. “I couldn’t let that affect me. I told my family I will go hard and get what I deserve. I wanted to keep pushing forward and chasing my dream. I made it too far to stop."

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He was able to earn a roster spot with the Miami HEAT on the Summer League team, where he averaged 5.5 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists in six games.

"He had his ups and downs in the Summer League,” Skyforce Head Coach Kasib Powell, who helped coach the HEAT in Summer League, said. “You could see the talent in him from the get-go.  All it took was for him to play some actual games and get into the rhythm. Just to see him grow and come into his own is something that has been awesome to watch."

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Smart scored in double figures in two of the HEAT’s last three Summer League games. He was then invited to join the HEAT’s roster for training camp and the preseason, where he was one of the last guys cut before the regular season started. Smart played in five games for the HEAT in the preseason, averaging 8.8 points on 41 percent shooting, 2.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists.

He was offered a spot on the Sioux Falls Skyforce roster as an affiliate player due to his hard work and growth from Summer League to training camp and finally the preseason.

Powell, who had been around Smart since summer, knew what he was getting in the 22-year-old from Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

"He is great to coach and is a true competitor,” he said. “He wants to get better every single day. You can't ask for anything more when a player wants to improve daily. Javonte does not take days off when he is in the gym and has not since I’ve been around him. That consistency is contagious.”

Smart played in five games for the Skyforce to start the 2021 Showcase Cup averaging 22 points on 49 percent shooting, 4.2 rebounds and 3.6 rebounds.

He scored a then career-high 36 points on 13-20 FGA against the Grand Rapids Gold on November 13 and scored 25 points on 6-12 3PA on November 27 against the Cleveland Charge.

His performances earned him a two-way contract with the Milwaukee Bucks on November 29.

The gambles, hard work and dedication paid off.

“That was just a happy time looking back,” Smart said. “My first time getting to the league. It took a lot to get there.”

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The LSU product was strictly with the Bucks in his time and did not get transferred to the Wisconsin Herd. He played in 13 games for Milwaukee, averaging 2.4 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.1 assists per 12.3 minutes.

On January 13, the Bucks made the decision to waive Smart.

"I appreciate the whole organization for even giving me a chance and opportunity,” Smart said of his time in Milwaukee. “I learned from that. I really enjoyed the guys that were there. Nothing comes easy and I knew it was just a setback. I knew I was going to come back and keep doing what I do."

Days later, Smart returned to the Skyforce, who were in the mist of seven games in 12 days, with five of them being on the road.

It was a tough month for Smart in January, as he averaged 14.8 points on 33.7 percent shooting, five rebounds and three assists. The Skyforce also went 0-6 during that stretch.

For two months, it felt like it was nonstop games with no time to get himself right – on and off the court.

"It was rough because, in my mindset, I wanted to really improve. I wasn't playing to my capabilities,” he said. “I had a conversation with Therian (Williams) about getting into the gym and really working on some things while we were at the airport on the way home.

We just hit it hard and never looked back. A lot of hard work has been put in with our coaches. I really appreciate those guys getting into the gym with me whenever I need it. That played a big part."

He didn’t budge and stuck to his principles. He knew who he was and what kind of impact he can have on a team.

Smart and the Skyforce had four days of no games and were able to focus on the fundamentals.

Powell noticed that coming back to the G League after an NBA stint didn’t affect Smart like it could with other players.

"He's always been a team player. I don't think he's came in with any different approach than he had before,” he noted. “He didn't change and stayed true to himself, which is a credit to him.  Sometimes when you struggle it can make you question yourself.”

That break and a steady confidence has helped give Smart and his team a 180-degree outlook on the season. The Skyforce is 5-2 this month and the home winning streak was the longest since the beginning of the 2018-19 season.

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"I needed that break,” Smart admitted. “I wasn’t playing as much, like I was when I was in Sioux Falls (with the Bucks). It was just a time to get back to doing what I do, and it was great to get everything lined up. I really started to invest in watching film and doing whatever it takes to get better."

Not to mention, he is averaging 30.4 points per game this month on 50% shooting. He is averaging 4.7 three pointers per game. All three are good for top-10 in the G League with a minimum of four games played. Smart has scored 213 points (second in the G League) and made 37 three pointers (first in the G League). He’s also taken the second highest amount of three pointers, with 82.

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"Ever since I was younger, if there is a gym around, I would be in it, even if it's by myself,” Smart said. “Being in the gym is what I do. I am a hard worker and I have true pride in that. My family believes in me. So, I just want to keep going hard."

Smart has led the Skyforce in scoring in seven games this season and tends to be the first player in the gym the next morning perfecting his craft.

"It just shows you can’t get comfortable or complacent,” Powell said of Smart’s work ethic. “It shows the rest of the team, that he can score 40 or 36 points, but still be your first one in the gym. He competes at a high level every day in practice. It just sets the bar higher for everybody else."

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He has scored 30-plus points in three of the last four games and has seven straight games with 20-plus points. He is the first Skyforce player since Yante Maten in 2018 to score 40 points in a game, which he did on February 15 against Rio Grande Valley on 8-13 3PA.

After that contest, he got the call he had been hoping for since his conversation with Coach Spoelstra.

It truly feels like things are coming full circle for Smart.

"I am so grateful,” Smart expressed. “I can't even explain it. I got cut a month ago, then right back at it. I am not taking this lightly. I am going to do everything in me to get better. And to have it be with Miami just makes everything that much better."

Powell noted how it’s great any time his players get an NBA Call-Up, but it is a different feel when it’s with the HEAT.

"We always want to see our guys get called up and get two ways,” he said. “To get one of our guys who has been with us since Summer League and rewarding him with a deserving two-way is something we are so excited about."

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The future is bright for Javonte Smart, as he’s earned a two-way with the organization it all started with.

Plus, he has the Skyforce back in the thick of the Western Conference playoff race. Sioux Falls sits just 2.5 games out of the final playoff spot that the OKC Blue holds.

What’s next?

"I want to keep improving and continue to help us win. We have a great team, and we are building something special,” Smart said with a smile. “I am looking forward to being in the league for a very long time. Hard work pays off."

It does indeed.

Sioux Falls will play the Blue, which has crucial playoff implications in back-to-back games on Tuesday and Wednesday in Oklahoma City, with tip-offs being at 7:00 PM CST each night.