Utah basketball: Why guard Deivon Smith left Georgia Tech, joined Utes

When a coaching change at Georgia Tech and other factors led to Deivon Smith seeking a “fresh start” in April, one of the last destinations on the 6-foot-1 guard’s mind was Utah.

“I could honestly say that I never thought I would ever live in Utah,” he said.

Sure, Smith was somewhat familiar with the Runnin’ Utes, because he scored a team-high 15 points and grabbed six rebounds in a 68-64 loss to Utah at the Fort Myers Tip-Off last November. But he never envisioned “heading out West” for his final two seasons of eligibility on April 10 when he entered the transfer portal.

Then he got a call from Utes assistant DeMarlo Slocum, and after that, a call from head coach Craig Smith. He was overwhelmed by Utah’s immediate interest, and took the coaches up on their offer to visit Salt Lake City.

“Utah was the first school to call me, actually, which was surprising to me, and they recruited me pretty hard,” Smith told the Deseret News Tuesday. “I ended up taking my official visit here, and that kinda solidified it.”

Smith said he was hosted by center Branden Carlson and guard Gabe Madsen on his official visit, “their two main pieces from last year, and that gave me a great vibe and made my decision way easier to come here.”

He said the returning cornerstones of the program showed him around campus, got a few shots up with him, and took him to dinner. He was also impressed with the cleanliness and beauty of Salt Lake City.

“It was amazing,” he said. “The mountains, the city, the people, just the peace it brings. I think it is real heavy on peace out here. I wouldn’t say there is not a lot going on, but there is just enough.”

The only other school Smith visited was High Point University in North Carolina, he said.

He committed to the Utes on May 12, signed a few days later, and arrived last week a day after the team began official workouts. 

“We are excited to welcome Deivon Smith to our Runnin’ Utes family,” Craig Smith said in a school news release. “Deivon is one of the most electric athletes in the country, with incredible vision, leadership, toughness and experience.

“He is also a fantastic rebounder at the guard position. There is no doubt that our fans will instantly love the way he plays. We can’t wait to have him join us for the upcoming season.”

A four-star recruit out of Grayson High in Loganville, Georgia, Smith began his college career at Mississippi State and saw action in all 33 games for the Bulldogs, who reached the NIT championship game in 2021.

He transferred to Georgia Tech for his sophomore and junior seasons, and started…