Back With A Purpose
May 21, 2023 | Men's Basketball, Joel Coleman
Tolu Smith is returning to MSU for one more year and is driven to achieve team and individual success.
STARKVILLE – He's back!
Sunday evening, Tolu Smith answered the question so many in the Mississippi State basketball family have been asking lately. Will the elite, All-Southeastern Conference First Team big man be spending just one more season in Starkville? You bet.
And this isn't just some token victory lap. It's far from it. Smith's return to the Maroon and White is all about two things. He wants to firmly implant himself into the minds of Bulldog fans forever, and he wants to push MSU men's hoops even higher up the mountain after an NCAA Tournament berth under head coach Chris Jans last season.
"For me, I want to be one of those legacy guys – guys like Erick Dampier or Darryl Wilson," Smith said. "To be that, I think it takes winning. I think it takes getting past the first round of the tournament. It's getting to the big games like the Final Fours or the championships. That's what I'm striving for this year. I think the team has the same mindset."
Suffice it to say, Smith returns to State a driven man. Said another way with a nod to one of Smith's favorite mantras, if you ain't a Dawg, you're Dawg food, and this Dawg is still incredibly hungry.
"I'm coming back with a lot of things on my mind, both personal goals for myself and ultimately, team goals," Smith said.
Underneath Smith's ambitions are a rock-solid foundation of support. Smith has been weighing his options in recent weeks. All the while, behind him, Jans was there to give Smith any aid – or space – he needed.
"He's so dedicated, not just to the team, but to each person's success," Smith said of Jans. "I think the biggest thing with us is that everything has been open and transparent between us as we've figured out what was next for myself and my family. I think he helped me along the way. It wasn't so much him calling me every day or nagging me. He's just been allowing me to make a wise decision."
Smith coming back to play for Jans one more time is a testament to the trust Smith has in his coach. Remember, last year around this time, Smith made the choice to remain with State and help usher in the Jans era. Some 365 days or so later, Smith liked what he experienced so much that it factored heavily into his decision to do it all again.
"It's just knowing [Jans] actually cares for a player's development and cares about what's in the best interest for their future," Smith said. "Obviously he's big on winning, but why not win and also develop players all at once? I think that's what his mindset going into things is. He doesn't want to just win. He wants you to win and know you're getting better each day and getting developed."
Smith will now continue to benefit from Jans' teachings and so, too, will the others that'll comprise MSU's 2023-24 roster. Speaking of that roster, Smith's teammates are another reason he's running it back in Starkville.
"I think we have a lot of good players coming in and a lot of great players returning," Smith said. "I even think people are kind of sleeping on some of the players we'll have. I think we'll have a great chance with these guys. [Junior college transfer Lorenzo Fort III] is a really good shooter and I don't think a lot of people know about him. We just got Andrew Taylor [as a transfer from Marshall]. I think Coach Jans was looking to get a lot of shooting around us this year and I think he's done a great job with that. Then we got [transfer from West Virginia, Jimmy Bell, Jr.]. He's a big guy with a really big presence. Obviously, we have [freshman] Josh Hubbard and [junior college transfer Jaquan Scott]. I think we have a lot of great pieces around us and it's a big add-on for what we already had."
Of course, maybe the biggest add-on isn't really an add-on at all. It's Smith. Already beloved, Smith's State legacy can now continue to grow.
"I'm just so glad to be back," Smith said. "I've spent a lot of time here and will spend even more time here. I can't even put it into words what [MSU] means to me."
What Smith can verbalize is his message to Bulldog fans everywhere headed into the coming season. In fact, that message comes out loud and clear.
Now that Smith's coming back, he wants all of his MSU family right back beside him.
"I'd like to scream to [the fans], 'Pack The Hump!'" Smith said. "Last year, I said it. This year, I'm screaming it: 'Pack The Hump!'
"The Hump has already been rocking, but a little selfishly, I think it can be even a little more rocking. I think if we can keep growing that momentum going into next season, we can make some real noise."
