Maason Smith in Jacksonville
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SportsTranscript
00:00It's been, it's a real moment, you know, just being able to dream about something like this since I was six years old, man, and just being able to overcome everything I overcame, man, and just to be able to be here, it's a blessing in all, man.
00:14And, you know, I feel like coming from LSU, man, it really prepared me for this next step in my career, man.
00:21So I feel like it's been fairly easy of a transition, man, and I'm just trying to get better and progress every single day.
00:28Obviously, we talked earlier, and Doug was very complimentary about, you know, your journey, obviously, your freshman tape, and obviously going down with the injury.
00:35Everyone really complimentary about just how, you know, that battle back has been for you, and it seems like it's been paid off, you know.
00:40What does it mean for you to kind of see the fruits of your labor?
00:43Man, you know, I've always been accustomed to hard work, man, just having to see my mother.
00:48You know, she's a family pediatrician doctor.
00:51You know, early mornings, long nights, seeing my father work in the oil field for 30-plus years, man, I'm accustomed to it.
00:56So, you know, I never really shied away, no matter what I ever went through, man.
01:01And, you know, the cream always rise to the top, man.
01:06And, you know, I'm just keeping my head down and keep working and continue to progress, man.
01:10That's all I can think of.
01:11Sort of a precursor to, you know, getting to the real thing.
01:14But have you kind of had that aha moment, really?
01:16Not with the rest of the team, but to be out here, get on the grass, get us sweated in the jerseys, does it feel good?
01:20Yeah, it definitely feels amazing, man.
01:22Being in the state of Florida, man, not too far from home, man.
01:25Family going to be able to come see me play whenever is a blessing.
01:29And I'm glad to be a Jag.
01:30I'm happy to be a Jag, man.
01:32I can't wait to grow with this organization.
01:34You talk about being close to home, man.
01:35A lot of you LSU guys, so you guys turning Jacksonville into LSU East, I guess.
01:39What does it mean to have a lot of your brothers out here?
01:41You know, it just helped me with more of a comfortable transition, man.
01:44Having guys like B.T., who I went into college with my freshman year.
01:48We in the same class, came out the same class in Louisiana together.
01:51So just being able to have him and my guy Jordan, man, who just transferred to LSU this past year from West Virginia, man.
01:56You know, it's just going to make my transition a lot more comfortable, a lot more easy.
02:00Being able to see guys that I've seen my, you know, the last year.
02:03And even Coach Matt House, man, my D.C. for the past two years.
02:07Being able to see him each and every day, man, is going to make me feel more at home, more comfortable, man.
02:12Make that transition a lot easier for me.
02:14Last one for me, what do you hope to accomplish over these next couple of days?
02:17You know, just being able to showcase what I can do, man.
02:20And, you know, always end on a positive note, going into the summer workout program and everything like that, man.
02:25I just want to be able to show the coaches what I can do and what I can be for the team.