Kianna Smith talks Wooden Award
Juhwan Harris-Dyson isn’t the only Cal basketball commit to receive a Wooden Award. Incoming Cal women’s basketball freshman Kianna Smith out of Troy High School won a Wooden Award for the Southern Section Division I. Smith, a McDonald’s All-American, is regarded as one of the top incoming freshman point guards in the country and looks to make an immediate impact when she comes to Cal. Smith caught up with GoldenBearReport.com shortly after she got her Wooden Award to talk about its significance and the year that she has had.
“I found out I'd be receiving the award about 2 weeks before the event,” Smith says. “I was really excited when I found out, knowing that this was the first time they honored the girls along with the boys made it more special. They [Cal coaches] were all extremely proud and excited for me! I was happy I was able to represent them and the program well.”
For Smith, this award is the result of countless hours of practice in the gym and a constant striving to improve her game. While this is an individual award, Smith gives her team a lot of credit for helping her stand out from the rest of the competition: “I think my team’s overall performance in playoffs and my point production is what separated me from most.”
It’s been a pretty amazing year for Kianna Smith. She’s represented Cal in the McDonald’s All-American Game, collected a Wooden Award, and established herself as one of the top point guards in the country.
“It's amazing,” Smith says as she reflects on the year. “This whole year has been a blessing. I checked off a lot of personal goals of mine. And although I ended my high school career on such a high note, I'm focused on moving forward and preparing myself to continue to check off goals at the college level.”
When asked about which she was more proud of, being a McDonald’s All-American or a Wooden Award recipient, Smith couldn’t favor one over the other. “They’re both different,” she says. “I’m very proud of both.”
As happy and as grateful as she is for all the success that she has had, Kianna Smith isn’t looking back or getting complacent. She sees this as only the beginning of what she hopes will be a fruitful and successful collegiate career. She is excited to begin the next chapter of her basketball career in Berkeley and join what is projected to be one of the top teams in the Pac-12.