Spy with My Peculiar Eye
July 22, 2015
Underdog Story: Former Nicholls standout, Katrina survivor now a pro
July 22, 2015
Nicholls State University graduate Jeremy Smith could have given up on his dreams 10 summers ago and no one would have blamed him or complained about the decision.
Hurricane Katrina had just hit his native New Orleans, and he and his family were taken several miles from home to McComb, Mississippi – the place they stayed for three months.
But instead of quitting, caving to the pressures and succumbing to the stresses that surrounded his world, Smith stayed on his grind and decided to prove all of the naysayers wrong.
A Katrina survivor and former walk-on to the Colonels’ men’s basketball team, Smith’s collegiate career was a lot like his childhood – one filled with many ups and downs. In Thibodaux, Smith went from an unknown, unwanted walk-on commodity to one of the team’s captains and leading players as a junior and senior.
Since graduating following the 2013-14 season, the 6-foot, 3-inch, 180-pound guard has continued his underdog story even further, competing professionally for the South Adelaide Panthers – a team that competes in the Australia State League.
Smith isn’t just playing, but he’s doing so at an elite level. He was one of the best scorers in the league in the 2014-15 season, routinely scoring more than 20 points in a game.
The former Colonel said he looks back at it all now with a smile and great pride. Smith said he has no regrets about the past, touting that every, single thing that happened has made him a better player and person in the present.
“My pro career so far has been a great experience,” Smith said. “I’ve been meeting new people, and interacting with the kids at basketball clinics is my favorite thing to do, by far. I enjoy learning about the culture of the country I’m playing in, as well.”
PERSEVERENCE THE STORY OF SMITH’S LIFE
Smith said he remembers the storm and its aftermath like it was yesterday, even though he was hardly a teenager at the time.
He remembers living in Mississippi for a couple months, while waiting for the city’s cleanup efforts to be complete.
Smith also said he remembers seeing all of the storm’s damage on TV and wondering about loved one’s homes, property and overall
Nicholls graduate and South Adelaide Panthers standout Jeremy Smith poses under the basketball goal before a practice this past spring. A Hurricane Katrina survivor and a walk-on out of high school, Smith has overcome long odds to achieve his dream of being a professional basketball player. Smith averaged more than 20 points per game for the Panthers, and hopes to continue advancing in his professional career in the next several years.
