He’s at Home on the Court

From third grade through eighth grade, J. Drew Smith was home schooled by his mother. He learned to read, write and do arithmetic as well as any child his age.

What he liked best about home schooling was recess. He didn’t play kick ball, hand ball or tether ball like the other kids in the neighborhood schools. His half-hour breaks were reserved for going into his backyard and shooting baskets.

Those who think he might have become bored with the daily routine only need to look at his shooting touch. It’s as pure as spring water and the product of constant practice.

“I worked on it every day,” he said.

Smith, 15, is a 6-foot-7 freshman center at Riverside King High who plays basketball with the composure of a senior.

In his high school debut Dec. 4 against Whittier, he was the only King player to never leave the court. For 32 minutes, he played hard, played smart and never backed away when challenged.

With the game on the line in the final seconds, the most poised player on the court was Smith. Whittier had a chance to tie the score, but Smith forced a traveling violation as the buzzer sounded, preserving a two-point victory for the defending state Division II champions.

Smith finished with 12 points on five-for-six shooting. He made two three-point shots and had nine rebounds. His stamina was stunning. He looked ready to play another game without any rest. And he had been sick for three days.

It’s no wonder that King Coach Tim Sweeney said, “He’s definitely one of the best freshmen in the country.”

After nine games, Smith is averaging 12.4 points and six rebounds in helping to lead King to a 6-3 record. He has made 14 three-point shots and is shooting 65% from three-point range.

Smith is a veteran of club basketball, having played in dozens of youth tournaments before reaching high school. He has focused on becoming a complete player.

“I want to be able to do more than one thing,” he said. “I have to be good to get into a good [college]. That drives me.”

The first day of high school was no easy test for Smith. It was almost a symbolic cutting of the umbilical cord after six years of individual instruction.

“It was a little bit weird,” he said. “It was a whole new experience.”

Adding to the unknown factor was how people would respond to Smith’s speech impediment. He stutters. One reason his parents, Rod and Karen, wanted to keep him home schooled was to make sure he received individual attention to improve his condition.

“It is getting better,” Rod said. “He has expressed himself through basketball. It’s an ongoing problem when you have a stuttering problem. Even [actor] James Earl Jones, who they say was a chronic stutterer through high school, has to constantly work at it. We have told him not everyone is going to understand.

“You turn on the television and hear comedians mimicking people who stutter. They find that amusing. It’s something humorous to people and some are flat out insensitive. Our whole approach is to teach him that he’s special and this is a challenge to overcome.”

So far, Smith’s transition has worked out well. He received A’s and Bs on his first report card, and his early basketball performances leave no doubt that he’s going to be playing the sport for years to come.

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What high school basketball player wouldn’t want the opportunity to guard a player the caliber of Kobe Bryant?

D.J. Strawberry of Santa Ana Mater Dei is Coach Gary McKnight’s choice to guard 6-7 LeBron James when Mater Dei takes on Akron (Ohio) St. Vincent-St. Mary at 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 4 at Pauley Pavilion.

Strawberry is a 6-5 senior who signed with Maryland. James is supposed to be the best high school NBA prospect since Bryant.

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Trevor Plouffe, 16, is a baseball player with special skills. He was clocked throwing 91 mph last month at a tournament in Florida. He’s a junior at Encino Crespi. Scouts still don’t know if he’s a better pitcher or shortstop.

“I want to be both,” Plouffe said.

He figures to be Crespi’s most prolific player since Jeff Suppan, the No. 1 pitcher for the Kansas City Royals last season.

Eric Sondheimer can be reached at eric.sondheimer@latimes.com