On the subject of HBCU basketball, underdog tales typically come a dime a dozen. However few match the resilience and uncooked grit of Desiree Smith.
The previous Johnson C. Smith College (JCSU) standout spent the 2023–24 season battling a torn labrum in her hip. Regardless of the ache, she led her crew via adversity and capped the yr with a postseason match title. Now, she’s taking her abilities to Mississippi Valley State—one of many hardest HBCU packages in Division I.
“I didn’t assume I used to be gonna get picked up by any D1 colleges,” Smith admits. “I used to be taking part in injured the entire season. It wasn’t even my finest.”
But, expertise all the time finds a means. By means of grit, self-discipline, and unshakable willpower, she earned her subsequent shot.
Preventing By means of the Ache
Smith didn’t simply lace up whereas injured—she battled via probably the most painful situations in basketball: a torn hip labrum.
“I had no labrum in my proper hip. It was indifferent,” she explains. “I simply received steroid photographs to handle the ache.”
The harm disrupted her rhythm and restricted her explosiveness. Even so, Smith refused to let her crew down. With a shallow frontcourt, she embraced the position of the lone put up presence and anchored the paint night time after night time.
“I used to be the one true large. So I had no selection however to push via.”
That mindset didn’t simply preserve her on the ground—it fueled a run few anticipated.
Surviving a Season of Chaos
Even with a succesful roster, Johnson C. Smith’s season swung wildly. Practices lacked construction, and gamers struggled with fatigue.
“We’d apply for hours, simply operating pickup. No warmups, no particular person exercises,” Smith recollects. “It wasn’t like the opposite colleges I’d been to.”
Regardless of the disarray, the crew’s chemistry discovered room to develop. Connections shaped naturally, whilst methods faltered.
Midseason, the whole lot shifted. Assistant coach Taisha Murphy—often called Coach Tay—took the reins. Her method reworked the crew.
“She was hands-on. We watched extra movie, fastened our transition protection. It made a distinction,” says Smith.
Below Murphy’s management, Johnson C. Smith rallied from the underside of the CIAA to clinch the inaugural BCIC match title, regardless of getting into as the ultimate crew chosen.
“We weren’t even within the match at first. We received known as final. However we proved we belonged.”
Betting on Valley, Betting on Herself
Desiree Smith’s switch announcement caught some off guard. Mississippi Valley State’s ladies’s program is chronically underfunded and below the radar. Nonetheless, that’s exactly what drew her in.
“I’m a canine,” she says. “Valley wants canine. I felt like I match.”
Her choice wasn’t about luxurious—it was about legacy. For Smith, Valley provides greater than a scholarship; it supplies a problem value taking.
“In the event that they want somebody to exit and compete, I’m that participant.”
Eyes on the Professionals, Thoughts on the Mission
After Valley, Smith has large plans. She hopes to proceed her basketball profession abroad, utilizing her HBCU platform as a springboard.
If that doesn’t materialize, she’s already carving a future in efficiency remedy—with the U.S. Navy as a possible subsequent step.
“I’m majoring in bodily remedy,” she explains. “If I’m going into the Navy, I’ll go in as an officer. The plan is to work with athletes long-term.”
Her ardour for harm prevention stems from her personal lived expertise. By means of nerve ache, hip points, and low season grind periods, she’s constructed a toolbox she’s able to share.
“I handled all that and nonetheless educated each summer season. I wish to assist athletes practice smarter.”
A Legacy That Runs within the Household
Basketball runs deep within the Smith family. Desiree Smith is the youthful sister of Dennis Smith Jr., a North Carolina basketball icon and NBA veteran recognized for his athleticism and creativity. The previous McDonald’s All-American starred at NC State earlier than being chosen ninth general within the 2017 NBA Draft.
“We’re shut,” she says. “He watches my video games, offers me suggestions. He all the time tells me to not be afraid to ask for assist.”
Whereas she values her independence, her brother’s assist provides motivation and perspective.
From Spotlight Reels to Nationwide Highlight
Stats didn’t simply drive Smith’s breakout. She turned a central determine within the Brick by Brick docuseries, which showcased her grit and sport.
“That present helped me lots,” she says. “I couldn’t actually make my very own spotlight reels. However the footage they received—it confirmed what I might do.”
For gamers at smaller HBCUs, visibility could be the distinction between being ignored and being recruited. Smith seized the second.
Able to Lead, Able to Show It
Let’s be sincere—successful at Mississippi Valley State gained’t be simple. However Smith isn’t chasing simple. She’s constructed for the onerous route.
From harm setbacks to HBCU championships, from being counted out to creating believers, her journey displays the whole lot that defines HBCU basketball: coronary heart, hustle, and starvation.
With one season left, Desiree Smith is able to write her ultimate chapter—and it’s going to be loud.
“I do know what I’m signing up for,” she says. “And I’m prepared for it.”
