Josh Smith a leader for The Hawks

[HawksFan87]

Josh Smith a leader for the Hawks? It's true

By Michael Cunningham

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

If the image of Josh Smith as the immature, petulant player who couldn’t accept coaching or criticism endures, then his recent evolution might come as a shock.

Smith, 24, has become a leader for the Hawks.

“It’s been fantastic to see,” said coach Mike Woodson, who clashed with Smith in their early years together but now considers him an important voice for the team..

Smith’s influence is not subtle either. If Joe Johnson is cool and quiet as the team captain, then Smith is the drill sergeant barking to give their best.

When things are going badly during a game, Smith often gets on his teammates, sometimes even before Woodson, who is known to be tough on his players.

“It’s something I have been doing all season,” Smith said. “I feel that Joe Johnson, first and foremost, is our leader. But he sort of leads by how he plays the game, until he gets real, real mad.

“I guess I am the other one that uses his voice, is vocal, is policing it. Not even always policing but telling people where they need to be at certain spots at different times.”

It sounds polite when Smith puts it that way. In practice, it’s a bit coarser.

Smith’s playing style is high-energy and so is his personality on the court. His words to teammates are often laced with emotion (not to mention plenty of profanity).

“He lets it all out,” Johnson said. “That’s just how he is as a person. You can’t fault him for that. Everybody is made up a little different. That’s just Josh.”

On a team that center Al Horford collectively describes as “laid back” in nature, Smith is the extrovert providing its sizzle. It seems to be good for the Hawks, especially lately.

Consider their loss at New York on Monday. The Knicks were getting uncontested shots and Smith had seen enough of their lack of focus and effort. So he let his teammates have it during a huddle.

“The statement was along the lines of, ‘We’ve got to defend better than we are defending and rebound the ball because when we get in the playoffs and we don’t, we can easily be swept’ ” Woodson said, no doubt using less colorful language than Smith. “And that’s true. And then we started to defend, we got stop after stop.

"We were able to get up and make something happen with our defense that almost won us the game.”

On Feb. 22 in Salt Lake City, Smith’s pleadings helped the Hawks to hold off the Jazz after Utah got back in the game and its notoriously hostile crowd came to life.

The Hawks were making too few passes and shooting too quickly, so Smith “kept harping on us, harping on us to share the ball,” Horford said. They did as he said, the offense came to life and the Hawks won at Utah by five, their first win there since 1993.

Smith’s candor with teammates isn’t always negative. When Jamal Crawford was slumping recently, Smith kept encouraging Crawford to shoot even if it meant fewer chances for Smith to score.

“He's a great teammate,” Crawford said at the time. “He's genuinely happy if he scores three points and we win."

It’s no coincidence that Smith’s growth as a leader has come at the same time he’s become perhaps the Hawks' most consistent player.

Smith has the credibility to speak up. He ranks third on the team in points, second in rebounds and assists, and first in blocks and steals. When the Hawks are surging during a game, Smith usually is a big part of it.

“I think I have established myself well enough on this team and in the league where guys respect the things that I say and take it as a ‘family thing’ more than anything,” he said.

“I think he’s reached a point where he’s grown as a player and he has every right to say something to guys on this team,” Horford said. “He goes out and plays hard night in and night out. He is one of our main guys on the team and if he feels he has something to say, he should definitely come out and say it.”

Johnson, a four-time All-Star who has been the centerpiece during the Hawks’ reemergence, said he’s fine with Smith’s growing leadership.

“It shouldn’t just be one guy doing this or one guy doing that,” he said. “One guy shouldn’t just get the glory. That’s the beauty about this team, man. Everybody gets their fair share.”

Besides, Johnson notes that while Smith gives it to his teammates, he also “can take constructive criticism and not get so mad and fired up like he used to.”

It’s yet another way Smith’s leadership is showing.

“We all have free rein to talk to each other on the court,” Smith said. “No one takes it personally because as I say things to them, they can say things to me.”

http://www.ajc.com/sports/atlanta-hawks/josh-smith-a-leader-365757.html

[Supporter]

Good article, Joe talks as if he is above everyone else though, imo.

[HalfHawk]

Well, good to know the Hawks won't loose their vocal leader if Joe decides to leave this summer. Which now, is looking probable.

Edited March 13, 2010 by SmooveZilla

[Spiral]

Good read. Thanks.

[APE]

I want to see Joe get real, real mad.

[Diesel]

One of the things that we have to do is get another player who has great emotions to play with us.

I mean...

Horf = Laid back.

Joe = Laid Back.

Bibby = Laid Back

Marvin = Sleep.

The only guy who has that kind of emotion is Zaza... and he doesn't have the talent.

Of course, I say it's PG.

I say, let's look at either:

Chauncey Billups

Chris Paul = May go up on the blocks.

Rajon Rondo = Always rumors about his departure.

Earl Watson = He'd be good off the bench (as a mentor).

CJ Watson = most underrated player in the league right now.

Also, it's going to be interesting to see what happens in Minny with the Flynn-Rubio story. I think Rubio gets dealt to NY.

There are some other players that are on my mind:

Deshawn Stevenson and Ryan Hollins.

I have always liked Hollins and I believe that he can become some teams starting C and defensive enforcer.

Stevenson is just tough. Like Captain Jack... tough.

[exodus]

The differences between Joe and Josh, in game and temperment, is a big reason why they are such a good combination. They compliment each other very well.

But the bottom line is that they need more talent around them to become true title contenders.

[DJlaysitup]

Sounds to me there may be a few things simmering under the surface in that article. I will give all quoted credit for being politically correct though.

Edited March 13, 2010 by DJlaysitup

[HawkWeisErrr]

“He lets it all out,” Johnson said. “That’s just how he is as a person. You can’t fault him for that. Everybody is made up a little different. That’s just Josh.”

This line makes me suspect there isn't the best of friendship between Joe and Josh. Joe is probably just upset because Josh is the best all around player on the team.

[PureGreatness]

“He lets it all out,” Johnson said. “That’s just how he is as a person. You can’t fault him for that. Everybody is made up a little different. That’s just Josh.”

This line makes me suspect there isn't the best of friendship between Joe and Josh. Joe is probably just upset because Josh is the best all around player on the team.

your reaching

[DJlaysitup]

"He lets it all out," Johnson said. "That's just how he is as a person. You can't fault him for that. Everybody is made up a little different. That's just Josh."

This line makes me suspect there isn't the best of friendship between Joe and Josh. Joe is probably just upset because Josh is the best all around player on the team.

Yeah HWE, I figure there has been a lot of locker room politics that we don't know about. Difficult to say who's on which side but we have had a few "players only" meetings. That says something right off the bat. We also seem to play offense in segments (or even semi-segments). Some nights we pass the ball well and other times we look selfish.

A hint for me would be Smoove's support of Crawford's shooting. That leads me to believe the split is between the Smoove faction and the JJ faction....and the quote by JJ basically saying that Smoove isn't as much of an @sshole as he was before...small praise.

Edited March 13, 2010 by DJlaysitup

[TheNorthCydeRises]

Yeah HWE, I figure there has been a lot of locker room politics that we don't know about. Difficult to say who's on which side but we have had a few "players only" meetings. That says something right off the bat. We also seem to play offense in segments (or even semi-segments). Some nights we pass the ball well and other times we look selfish.

A hint for me would be Smoove's support of Crawford's shooting. That leads me to believe the split is between the Smoove faction and the JJ faction....and the quote by JJ basically saying that Smoove isn't as much of an @sshole as he was before...small praise.

You're reaching as well. Simply trying to find fault in a JJ/Smoove relationship for some crazy reason.

If anything, this leads me to believe that JJ and Smoove's relationship, is more like the relationship that Antoine Walker and Paul Pierce used to have. Paul was the doer on the court who wouldn't get in people's faces, while Antoine was the "rah-rah" guy that would hype people up.

Nothing wrong with that.

[HAWKSFAN89]

your reaching

No, he's not.

Look at Smooves play this year, it speaks for itself. He's playing the best ball of his career, he's the vocal leader of our team, and got ROBBED of an all-star appearance. Josh has learned to not settle for jumpers, but to play his inside game. Josh plays excellent defense, on ball and off ball.

Edited March 15, 2010 by HAWKSFAN89

[HawkRock1123]

Of course, I say it's PG.

I say, let's look at either:

Chauncey Billups

Chris Paul = May go up on the blocks.

Rajon Rondo = Always rumors about his departure.

Earl Watson = He'd be good off the bench (as a mentor).

CJ Watson = most underrated player in the league right now.

I was thinking about that earlier too. If we were to lose Joe, we could be alright (maybe better) if we can somehow obtain a PG who is a true leader (I know - I'm dreaming). But just imagine:

CP3

Crawford

Smith

Horford

Williams

[dakast]

One of the things that we have to do is get another player who has great emotions to play with us.

I mean...

Horf = Laid back.

Joe = Laid Back.

Bibby = Laid Back

Marvin = Sleep.

The only guy who has that kind of emotion is Zaza... and he doesn't have the talent.

Of course, I say it's PG.

I say, let's look at either:

Chauncey Billups

Chris Paul = May go up on the blocks.

Rajon Rondo = Always rumors about his departure.

Earl Watson = He'd be good off the bench (as a mentor).

CJ Watson = most underrated player in the league right now.

Also, it's going to be interesting to see what happens in Minny with the Flynn-Rubio story. I think Rubio gets dealt to NY.

There are some other players that are on my mind:

Deshawn Stevenson and Ryan Hollins.

I have always liked Hollins and I believe that he can become some teams starting C and defensive enforcer.

Stevenson is just tough. Like Captain Jack... tough.

Marvin =Sleep.........too funny :laughing5:

[Atlantaholic]

Josh Smith is really starting to develop nicely. Last year was discouraging as he took a step back IMO from the previous year, but this year he has had a revelation it seems. His assists are really damn impressive (averaging 6 pg in march) and his steals and blocks are extremely disruptive (avg 2 + stls and 2+ blks in march). If he continues to improve his concentration on rebounding and keeps refining his post game... well, we just may be able to remain extremely competitive in the upcoming years JJ or no JJ.

[exodus]

If Smith wants to be a leader he needs to get over his ADD when it comes to rebounding. Over his last 5 games Smith is averaging only 6.8 rebounds per game. He has only 2 double figure rebounding games this month in spite of playing heavy minutes.

[HawksFan87]

. Smoove IS a leader his teammates and coaches said so, obviously you skipped over that part of the article lol. Your hating is so sad now smh..

[exodus]

. Smoove IS a leader his teammates and coaches said so, obviously you skipped over that part of the article lol. Your hating is so sad now smh..

LOL @ me hating Smith. He is my second favorite guy on the team. I have been a fan of his all along, in spite of the frustration i frequently feel watching him.

However all of the vocal leadership doesn't mean squat without performance on the court. Smiths rebounding is still a problem no matter how much people with Smoove in their username might deny it.

[JackB1]

It's nice to see SOMEONE trying to hold other guys on this team accountable. Joe is WAY too laid back to do it.

Bibby isn't playing enough now. Craw is too new and Horford doesn't seem to want it. Josh has to be that guy,

BUT.......

if Josh wants respect and for everyone to take what he says seriously, he has to watch all the mental mistakes

he makes himself. He also has to stop whining to the refs about EVERY non call. He has to rebound ALL THE TIME

....not just when he feels like it. There are too many times I watch Josh on the court and he is just "hanging out" with

his arms down and looking disinterested. His head has to always be in the game and he has to bring it every night. THEN you can be a leader. I think he is heading in the right direction and he needs to keep going. The HAwks DESPERATELY need a leader.