Jacob Zanolla
Staff Writer
Expectations have always surrounded senior Donovan Smith, but he’s learned to harness the attention and turn it into success. Over the summer, a documentary directed by Leo Kloos titled “West$ide” was created about Smith’s basketball journey.
When he was entering seventh grade, Smith joined the Minnehaha Academy, a basketball academy for young adults that has been known to breed basketball talent. Playing at Minnehaha gave Smith chances to grow up alongside elite talent, including Jalen Suggs and Chet Holmgren. Both Suggs and Holmgren are now prolific starters in the National Basketball Association, with astonishing accolades to back it up.
“Knowing them has been insane. Jalen and I have known each other since we were babies. Our parents knew each other before we were born, so we got to grow up and see each other mold into the men we have become today. Jalen and Chet are at the place we all want to get to. They’re living out all of our dreams,” Smith said.
“I feel honored and blessed to have them as friends and know them and soak up everything I can. Those are two of the hardest-working and most disciplined guys I know. Being around them led me to this path where I am today. It inspired me, motivated me, and gave me everything that I needed. That brotherhood that we formed in our early stages is unbreakable.”
A unique part of playing with Suggs and Holmgren was the media attention that surrounded them. They were both top high school prospects, meaning scouts and media were always at games to try and cover them. It gave Smith more chances to be in the spotlight, but also made his school experience different than most kids.
“I did say [in the documentary] that I didn’t get used to it, but I kind of had to force myself to,” Smith said.
“We did have all the cameras and everything at our school all the time, along with high-level coaches and scouts, but you just had to force yourself to get used to it. Growing up with them was insane, especially at Minnehaha.”
One of the main reasons Smith wanted to do this documentary was to show viewers that life isn’t always rainbows and unicorns, and that bumps in the road are inevitable.
For Smith, that meant breaking his hand and losing several D1 offers. He’s never had to miss a significant amount of time before in his basketball career, but it gave him a different perspective that ended up being beneficial in the long run.
“When I broke my hand, that was the first time that I faced real adversity within myself. I was just coming off one of my biggest summers of my basketball career. Once all that came to a stop, I definitely wanted to stop,” Smith said. “I kept working out and stayed present within my friend group and my circle. Sometimes I did get caught up and just wanted to be by myself. It’s so easy to feel bad for myself, right? I just had to overcome it and grow up a little bit faster and kind of mature faster than I would have, you know? I think everything happens for a reason. That definitely happened for a reason.”
After Minnehaha, Smith played at Spire Academy, where he averaged 14.1 points per game with 51 three-pointers. When Florida Southern College offered Smith a basketball scholarship in 2022, it was an easy decision.
He completed a workout with the Mocs and immediately knew that it was the college for him. Now, he’s going into his senior year, ready to make one last mark on his college career.
Prior to college, Smith grew up in St. Paul, Minnesota. He played several sports growing up, adding football and baseball to his already impressive resume.
Throughout the movie, he credited his amazing hometown as one of the main reasons he’s had success. Whether it was his family, friends, or teammates, support was everywhere he looked.
“It’s a tight-knit community. Everybody played a role in raising us, and we produced a lot of great athletes. More importantly, we produced great people and great human beings,” Smith said.
“I think us kids kind of formed a brotherhood that was unbroken due to what we were surrounded by. A lot of people showed us what not to do and what not to get into. You just push each other to go down the right path and listen to our coaches and mentors.”
Among that community were his parents, who both played large roles in his childhood. Smith’s father coached him and some friends, with his mother always coming through to make sure he got everywhere on time.
“Having them in my corner was crucial. My dad knows how to boost my confidence. I think his being there was important, but he also found that balance of being my dad and coach at the same time. He’s not going to treat me differently from any other kid,” Smith said.
“My mom did all the little things that helped everything come together. I think just having them present and doing everything that they can to make sure that us kids got what we needed to go was big time.”
Now, Smith has new goals to finish his collegiate career on a good note while maintaining his high standards.
“I’d say being more consistent and mentally tough,” Smith said.
“College ball can be tricky with playing time and getting everyone reps. Coaches are looking at everything that you do. They’re not going to want to push you on the court if you don’t believe in yourself. ‘You don’t even believe in yourself, so why should I believe in you?’ It’s been a really big summer, and I think I’ve built really good habits.”
Want to watch? Click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9VyDhJxCp4
