After some back-and-forth on his decision, Russ Smith will announce today that he'll remain at Louisville for his senior year, according to Jeff Goodman of CBSSports.com. Smith's father tells Goodman that the junior guard has decided to put off the NBA draft for another year to return to school.
It was Smith's father who initially announced that his son would be going pro, shortly after Louisville won this year's national championship game, a decision Smith confirmed the next day when he appeared on SiriusXM. However, it seems Smith never officially submitted his name for the draft, and reports surfaced shortly thereafter suggesting that the 22-year-old was "50-50" on his decision.
Smith's decision to return to Louisville for one more year may turn out to be a good one. Various reports and scouts suggested he'd be drafted in the mid-to-late second round, if at all, had he decided to go pro this year, so spending another year with Rick Pitino and the Cardinals should help him more fully develop his game. Smith currently ranks 57th on Chad Ford's big board at ESPN.com.