Jemal Smith is an exciting "pass first" 5-10, 190 lb., senior point guard from Bronx, N.Y. Smith currently leads the Panthers and the CIAA with 7.5 assists per game. In the game against Cheyney this year he broke the school record of 16 assists by finishing with 21 assists. He got close to the CIAA record of 24 assists, set by Jerome Bell of Virginia State University in 1975. I asked him how it felt to break the school record for assists, he said, "Breaking the school record is a great thing. I am a 'pass first' type of player." He said he can break the CIAA record of 24 assists.

When asked how was it growing up in the Bronx, he said "It's tough growing up in the Bronx, you have to be very careful of who you choose as your friends because your own friends can be a bad influence." Smith added "The Bronx made me level-headed and it made me tough. It taught me right from wrong and I learned only positive people should be in my life."

He did not want to go down the wrong path, and his mother made sure he didn't by having him keep his head in his books and saw to it that he continued to play basketball. After all, his mom IS a teacher, so Smith just keeps his head in his books and plays basketball.

Smith said, "I want my family to see me prosper in life. I also want to set a trend of success in my family." Smith played a lot of street ball. He said "playing street ball taught me how to never back down. Playing street ball builds your skills and gives you tough skin."

His freshman year of high school he attended Rice High School, which is the same high school NBA point guard Kemba Walker attended. Then he attended Cardinal Hayes High School and in his senior year at the school his team finished the season with the record of 26-2. After high school he attended Hostos Community College in Bronx, N.Y.

He received NJCAA First Team All-American honors, 2016-2017 CUNYAC Player of the Year and Region XV Player of the Year. He averaged 19.1 points, 11.0 assists, 4.3 steals, and 3.2 rebounds per game the same year he received those honors. Smith played great at Hostos Community College, finishing with 1,103 points in his two years at the school. After Hostos Community College, he came here to the illustrious Virginia Union University. He said he got connected to VUU through his friend's dad who knows head coach Jay Butler. Smith came to Virginia Union and became an immediate playmaker on the court for the Panthers.

Smith said that although he doesn't necessarily pattern his style after any one player, he does have a few favorites.

"I have my own style of play," he said, although he does favor the way Erving Walker plays, who is a professional basketball player for Buyukcekmece Basketbol in the Turkish Super League. Walker played for the University of Florida and went undrafted in the 2012 NBA Draft. He also favors the way Frank Mason III and Stephen Curry plays. Erving Walker and Frank Mason III are small point guard's just like Smith and they have great skills. Smith just worries about feeding the ball to his teammates and winning the game.

As Jemal Smith says, he just wants to "Live my dreams and play basketball at a high level."