Kammala jumla mai zuwa: An dauki Smith zuwa Jihar Lake Superior a shekarar 1989 kuma ya taka leda a kakar wasa ta farko a karkashin Frank Anzalone. Smith ya kasance dan wasan da ba a san shi ba amma mai tasiri a kakar wasa ta farko, yana taimaka wa Lakers su daidaita rikodin shirin tare da nasara 33. A kakar wasa ta gaba, tare da Anzalone ya bar horarwa a cikin masu sana'a, Smith ya ga lokacinsa na kankara da samar da fure a karkashin tsohon mataimakin Jeff Jackson. Smith ya ninka adadin wasannin da ya yi a rayuwarsa kuma ya sa LSSU ta kafa sabon rikodin shirin tare da cin nasara 36 don tafiya tare da gasar zakarun farko ta Lakers. Jihar Lake ta sami babban zuriyar yamma, duk da haka, Clarkson ya isa a shirye don yin wasa a wasan kusa da na karshe na kasa na 1991 kuma ya dauki wasanni biyu daga cikin uku don fitar da wasannin da aka fi so. Duk da mummunan karshen, Smith ya zaba ta Buffalo Sabres a zagaye na 12 na
Zaɓin NHL.