Nyorai kupfuurira kweiyi ndima - Smith akaunganidzwa kuLake Superior State muna 1989 uye akatamba mwaka wake wokutanga ari pasi paFrank Anzalone. Smith akanga ari mutambi asingazivikanwi asi anobudirira mumwaka wake wokutanga, achibatsira Lakers kubatanidza purogiramu yekurekodha nekukunda makumi matatu nematatu. Mwaka wakatevera, naAnzalone achienda kunodzidzisa mumapoka ehunyanzvi, Smith akaona nguva yake yechando uye kugadzirwa kwemaruva pasi peyaimbova mubatsiri Jeff Jackson. Smith akawedzera zvakapetwa kaviri zvaakawana mubasa rake uye akaita kuti LSSU iite rekodhi itsva yepurogiramu ine kukunda 36 kuti iende neLakers' yokutanga mukombe wokutanga. Lake State yakagamuchira mbeu yepamusoro yekumadokero, zvisinei, Clarkson akasvika akagadzirira kutamba mumakwikwi emunyika ya1991 uye akatora mitambo miviri yevatatu kuti abvise makwikwi anodiwa. Pasinei nokuguma kwakashata, Smith akasarudzwa neBuffalo Sabres mumutambo wechi12 weNHL Draft
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