JONESBORO, Ark. (5/7/25) – Arkansas State men’s basketball head coach Ryan Pannone announced Wednesday the signing of high school standout Royal Smith to the 2025-26 roster.
Originally hailing from Parkland, Fla., Smith joins the program from Gillion Academy in Virginia, where the combo guard has shined both at the prep and AAU level.
“Royal is a 6-4 freshman guard from the Gillian Academy, who is shifty, can break the paint and finish at the rim at a really high level,” Pannone said. “He is a good-handle, athletic guard who can shoot and make players around him better. He’s got the ability to play on the ball and off the ball. He’s a very talented passer, sees the court well and makes pretty quick decisions. Defensively, he has the size, wingspan, athleticism, and physicality to become really good. He’s someone that we thought when we had the opportunity to get him, that it was too hard to pass up on, and then who he is as a person really fits what we’re trying to build culturally here.”
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