March 1, 2016
By Jack Shields
– One of two graduate students on the Yellow Jackets’ team, Adam Smith completed his bachelor’s degree in communications last spring at Virginia Tech and is pursuing graduate studies in music and multi-media production at Georgia Tech. As he did last year at Virginia Tech, Smith continues to lead the ACC in three-point shooting for the Jackets and has piled up the most three-pointers in one season since Tony Akins in 2001-02. He is Tech’s second-leading scorer this season.
You’re known as a gym rat. You sometimes get up 300, even 500 three pointers a day. What made you decide to do that, and when did you start?
“I read something about Steph Curry and Ray Allen – the types of shooting drills they put themselves through. The key is just repetitions and just staying in that rhythm. They put up numerous shots – sometimes they’ll make 300 a day, or at least attempt 300. Just that routine itself, I tried it out for a week or so. It was some time ago, and it worked for me. It helped me stay in a rhythm, so I’ve kind of been trying to do it ever since.”
You mentioned Steph Curry and Ray Allen. Are those the guys you model your game after?
“Not really, but they’re great shooters, and my thing is that I can shoot the ball well. So any kind of drills, any type of edge – I will try to find it. Steph Curry does a lot of triceps workouts, so I try to get those in – just strengthening the form itself. But I grew up a big fan of Allen Iverson. He was maybe 6-0, 6-1 – about my size. He had a nice game and he could do it all – score from the outside and inside. I try to model my game after him.”
You’re pursuing a master’s in music technology. What do you plan on doing with your degree?
“I’m not sure yet. I want to try my hand in radio or television, maybe. I really want to try my hand in a multimedia productions studio. I’d like to maybe work for ESPN, or maybe the ACC, or even Turner. I’ve been making some good connections over there. So I don’t know. Being a college athlete, there’s not much time for internships and whatnot. So maybe when I get out of school I can try my hand in some stuff and see what I like and what I’m good at.”
What kind of classes are you taking?
“Mixing and Recording, Mastering, just some stuff like that. I’m really spending a lot of time in the studio just working with pro tools and messing around with some stuff.”
What are your favorite spots to eat in Atlanta?
“On Ralph David Abernathy, it’s called the China Cafeteria. That’s a really good spot. Anybody in Atlanta or at Georgia Tech needs to try that spot. Mr. Everything is good over off Martin Luther King Drive. That’s a good spot. Those are my two favorites. I really like those two.”
