Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Deville Smith to leave UNLV for his final season of eligibility

Xavier Thames, Deville Smith

AP Photo

AP

Deville Smith will not return to UNLV for his senior season, according to a report from MyLVSports.com. There has been speculation for much of the spring that Smith would be leaving the program.

Smith would have been UNLV’s leading returning scorer had he returned as he averaged 9.7 points and started 18 games for the Rebels in his one year in Vegas. As a freshman, the Jackson, Ms., native played on the Mississippi State team that also included Rodney Hood, Arnett Moultrie, Renardo Sidney and Dee Bost but transferred to a JuCo for his sophomore season.

Smith is just the latest departure from the Rebel program as UNLV head coach Dave Rice cleaned house this offseason. Roscoe Smith and Khem Birch went pro. Bryce Dejean-Jones and Demetris Morant have already transferred out of the program, and there are rumors that Smith won’t be the last to leave.

As it stands, UNLV’s leading returning scorer is Jelan Kendrick, one of just four players that saw minutes last season that are scheduled to be back with the team. Kendall Smith, Daquon Cook and Christian Wood also are still on the roster.

The good news for Rice is that he will bring in a talented class of recruits, headlined by Rashad Vaughn, Dwayne Morgan and Goodluck Okonoboh. Pat McCaw and Jordan Cornish both join the program as well, and transfer Jerome Seagears (Rutgers) and Cody Doolin (San Francisco) will be in the mix as well.

Follow @robdauster