Top-10 2023 prospect Smith signs with Overtime Elite
Tyler Smith, the eighth-ranked prospect on the ESPN 60 for 2023, has signed with Overtime Elite, he told ESPN's Jonathan Givony on Sunday.
Smith is the seventh five-star recruit to ink a deal with the newly formed league. The 6-foot-10 power forward had offers from Kansas, Baylor, Texas, Florida State, Memphis, and LSU, among others.
"My goal wasn't to play college," Smith told Givony. "It's to play in the NBA. This will get me there faster and make me more ready once I'm there. I've been talking to them for three months already. They've been telling me they have NBA facilities, trainers, and nutritionists from NBA teams."
Smith is currently not eligible to be drafted until 2024, but he could be selected in 2023 if he graduates high school early. The 16-year-old says he's signing a two-year, "seven-figure" contract with Overtime Elite.
Overtime Elite hopes to sign 24 players ahead of its inaugural season later this year. The team will be coached by former UConn bench boss Kevin Ollie, who led the Huskies to a national championship in 2014.