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By InsideHoops.com

High school basketball star Josh Smith met with InsideHoops.com editor Jeff Lenchiner for an exclusive one-on-one interview after his Oak Hill Academy's win in Trenton, New Jersey at the 2004 Prime Time Shootout. Smith is one of several high school seniors who may try to jump right to the NBA by declaring for the 2004 NBA draft. Smith sets the record straight with InsideHoops.com on his thoughts at this time.

InsideHoops.com: You committed to Indiana quite a while back.

Josh Smith: It was in July.

InsideHoops.com: What made you choose Indiana above all other schools?

Josh Smith: I just liked the coach. Mike Davis, we really clicked in the conversation we had. I felt that was the school to go to. Because he kept it real, he was real about it.

InsideHoops.com: What did he say that stood out? Getting minutes for you right away, other things?

Josh Smith: All of them said I was going to get minutes, so I wasn't really worried about that, but the main thing was he was laid back and cool, and that's what I liked to see.

InsideHoops.com: So, a personality thing more than anything else.

Josh Smith: Yeah.

InsideHoops.com: There's talk of you skipping college to try to jump right to the NBA. You're thinking about that, right?

Josh Smith: Yeah, I've thought about it. But that's in the back of my mind right now. What's in my mind is us winning a championship, the national championship right now. And then whatever happens at the end of the season happens.

InsideHoops.com: If you had to name a percentage on how likely it is you'll jump right to the NBA, what would it be?

Josh Smith: Fifty percent.

InsideHoops.com: If you knew you were going mid first round in the draft, would you go? Would you only go if you were going lottery?

Josh Smith: Lottery, top five.

InsideHoops.com: So if experts and people you trust told you that you were going 14, 17, 20 in the first round, would you jump to the draft?

Josh Smith: No, I wouldn't.

InsideHoops.com: So you're really intent on going lottery?

Josh Smith: Yeah. Something like that, yeah.