At practice, NIU men’s basketball player Sean Smith stands out.

It’s not that he’s the only senior on the team, or that he’s the only one wearing a white jersey during warm-ups today.

What stands out are his basketball-like features.

The 6’7″ Gary, Ind. native is very tall and really lengthy. His reach allows him to pass efficiently and shoot well over most defenders. It was these features that got his best friend’s dad thinking Smith could play basketball.

“My best friend’s father, back in about fourth grade, saw that I was a tall and lengthy kid,” Smith said. “He mentioned basketball, and I just started playing for fun outside the neighborhood. But then he decided to start showing me how to play, and that’s where I found a love for the game.”

Using his height and reach advantages, the forward starred on his high school basketball team. The two-time team captain was also a two-time All-Conference and All-Area selection, and notched All-State honors as a senior at Gary Westside.

While playing at the high school level, Smith began a fun rivalry with his cousin, who is nine years older than him.

“Once he saw that I was getting better, he started playing more serious basketball,” joked Smith. “We still get to play one-on-one, but now he doesn’t beat me all the time.”

After high school, Smith moved on to Vincennes Junior College. There, his coach Everick Sullivan, saw his talent and prepared him to move up to Division 1-A basketball.

“I had a bunch of coaches that really established a strong work ethic in me,” Smith said. “They really taught me a lot and really helped me grow.”

After transferring to NIU, Smith began seeing bigger and better opponents, but NIU head coach Ricardo Patton said he has adjusted well.

“He has the respect of his teammates, and he’s really a team player, that’s the title I would give him,” Patton said. “He’s a guy that’s really stood up to help the team in any way he can.”

Smith’s first season as a Huskie ended with 156 points and 68 rebounds in 25 games. He hit a career-high 19 points last season coming off the bench against Ohio.

This year, the senior is continuing that success. He is coming off of a dominating performance in the Great Alaska Shootout, where he tied his career-high 19 points against the University of Alaska-Anchorage. He hit four treys in four minutes to seal the win.

Smith looks forward to using his height and length to beat opponents throughout the season, as well as to beat his cousin in their next game of one-on-one.