[HaleParticipant]

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/news?slug=jn-ucla100710

A few weeks ago, during a rare night out in Westwood, UCLA freshman Josh Smith popped into B.J.’s Restaurant to sample its famous pizza.

“I had two slices,” Smith said, “and I almost threw up.”

That’s certainly not a knock on B.J.’s, which has long been one of the most popular eateries near the Bruins campus. Smith felt ill, he said, because his body was no longer used to the greasy, caloric foods that once defined his diet.

“It’s amazing how much energy I have now,” said Smith, who has lost 40 pounds since June. “I feel like a different person.”

Looks like one, too.

That’s good news for UCLA, which is counting on Smith to help erase the memories of last year’s 14-18 finish. The losing season was just the third for the Bruins in the past 55 years.

“I couldn’t be more impressed with how far Josh has come,” UCLA coach Ben Howland said Wednesday. “He’s going to play a big, big role for us.”

The 6-foot-10 Smith was one of the most touted recruits in the nation when he signed with the Bruins last fall. Rivals.com ranked Smith as the country’s fourth-best center and the No. 23 overall prospect in the Class of 2010 – and he likely would’ve been higher if not for lingering questions about his weight and poor conditioning habits.

Asked how much Smith weighed when he reported to campus in June, Howland said: “I’m not even going to tell you that.”

UCLA’s roster lists Smith at 305 pounds, and no one at UCLA will say whether that measurement was recorded before Smith had reached the peak of his weight loss.

Whatever the case, the noticeably-leaner Smith has an extra bounce in his step. It certainly didn’t come easily.

UCLA’s dietician devised a meal schedule that Smith said he adhered to for the entire summer. Dinner in the Bruins dining hall often consisted of two chicken sandwiches along with rice and fruit. If Smith was still hungry, he ate additional apples, oranges and bananas “instead of sucking down extra cheeseburgers.” Much like that pizza from B.J. ‘s, Smith said those kinds of foods hardly appeal to him anymore.

“He’s dedicated himself,” Howland said. “He’s changed his lifestyle.”

Smith’s efforts didn’t end with healthy eating.

A native of Covington, Wash., Smith said he arrived at UCLA on June 19 for summer school and “didn’t touch a basketball” until the first week of September.

“Coach Howland wouldn’t let me,” Smith said.

While his teammates played pickup games, Smith went through cardiovascular workouts three times each day under the watchful eye of strength coach Wes Long. Sometimes it was running, other days he was on the stationary bike or in the pool. For more than two months, Smith’s only off days were on Sundays.

“I’m not going to lie,” Smith said. “It was frustrating for me. I felt like all I was doing was working out. I wasn’t allowed to get on the court with the guys. I wasn’t getting to [bond] with them.

“But I knew everything [Howland] was doing was for the right reasons. During my high school years I never lifted weights other than in gym class. I had never worked out on my own. I see now the difference it can make.”

Two weeks ago, Smith returned to his hometown for the first time since leaving for college. He said some of his relatives and friends hardly recognized him.

Even if he hadn’t lost so much weight, Smith would’ve played a major role for the Bruins in 2010-11. Much like former UCLA star Kevin Love, Smith has natural strength that makes him a pest to stop in the paint. His footwork is excellent – especially for a freshman – and he’ll be able to create space as well as any post player in the Pac-10.

The new, svelte Smith, however, raises the Bruins’ potential to another level. One season after missing the postseason altogether, the Bruins have a realistic shot at winning the conference title.

“He’s going to continue to develop,” Howland said. “He’s being asked to do a lot of things he’s never done before as far as what we want from him offensively. There are little details here and there that he’ll have to pick up. He’ll have some hiccups like any freshman would. But he’s very bright. He’ll be fine.”

Smith is expected to be a mainstay in a starting lineup that will also likely include returnees Reeves Nelson, Malcolm Lee, Tyler Honeycutt and junior college transfer Lazeric Jones, a point guard.

“I wouldn’t say there’s pressure on me,” Smith said. “I think there’s pressure on us as a team to rebuild from last year. When I was getting recruited UCLA always had a good team. They always made the tournament and had a Top 10 draft pick.

“We’re not going to let what happened last year. From the day I got here, there’s been a positive vibe about the season. Everyone is excited.”

Especially Smith, who is already looking forward to playing in historic gyms such as Kansas’ Allen Fieldhouse – the Bruins visit Lawrence in December – before traveling to his home state for a game against Washington. Smith snubbed the Huskies in favor of UCLA.

“That will be big for me,” Smith said. “I know how the environment is going to be. The same people that for two or three years were encouraging me and saying all this good stuff about me … they’re going to be the same people booing me and saying whatever they have to say.”

The jeers won’t be anything new to Smith, who said he has “always had critics.” Smith said there was a time when comments about his work ethic or weight would annoy him.

“My dad said, ‘The people writing that stuff … 90 percent of them have never met you,’” Smith said. “They’ve only seen me play once or twice. They don’t know anything about my personal life.

“They just want to say negative things to bring me down. It’s always something like, ‘Oh, he’s too big to play,’ or ‘I saw him last weekend and he looked like he weighed 400 pounds.’ That doesn’t bother me anymore. I just use it as motivation. I do better when I’m motivated.”

The last three months are proof of that.

 

What you guys think?

[llperez]

bruins gonna do big things next year.. Do not be surprised when they enter the top 25 led by the returning trio of tyler honeycutt, malcolm lee, and reeves nelson. The new guys in josh smith, lazeric jones and tyler lamb just need to play solid and help the returning guys.

[llperez]

and regardless of being a bruin or not, a kid losing 40 pounds and busting his tail 6 days a week is impressive for anyone. Shows that he is serious about basketball.

[Mr. 19134Participant]

 I thought they were talking about Josh Smith of Atlanta at first and I’m thinking he lost 40 pounds?  He’ll just look like CJ Leslie playing.

[PureshooterParticipant]

I thought the same thing.  I don’t think Josh Smith of ATL has 40 lbs. of fat to lose. 

[Mr. 19134Participant]

 No he doesn’t.  Not unless he wants to play shooting guard again which would be a disaster cuz he still can’t shoot.

[Author]

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