Dec 20, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Dayton Flyers guard Malachi Smith (11) shoots against Cincinnati Bearcats guard Jizzle James (2) in the first half at Heritage Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

UConn HC Compares Rising Star to Former Fan Favorite

Originally posted on UConn Huskies on SI
By Tyler Miller | Last updated Sep 24, 2025 11:00 AM ET

With basketball practice beginning and it being Media Day for the UConn Huskies, head coach Dan Hurley was asked a lot of questions about his current roster and players he picked up out of the transfer portal. These questions included Malachi Smith who, transferred from the University of Dayton and is expected to be a star with the Huskies.

Smith comes to a Huskies team that has championship aspirations. He comes to a team where the players are expected to play hard game in and game out and really pay attention to the details. So much so, that after watching him at Dayton, Hurley compared him to a big former fan favorite Husky when the media asked Hurley about him.

"I think he's got some of what Hassan [Diarra] brought to the 2024 team. I think he's an attacking player. He's a guy that makes plays. I think the fans will love him. I think he's a real critical piece to the team."

Hassan Diarra was one of those players that you could count on to play stout defense. He was one that you could count on to run the point whenever Liam McNeeley and Jordan Hawkins and Stephon Castle were not on the court. Diarra was one of those dudes that brought everything to the table, a player that fought game after game for the Husky logo that was on his chest.

So to get that kind of comparison, says a lot about what kind of player Hurley thinks Smith is going to be in Storrs. In the 2024 season, Smith averaged 10.4 points per game, 2.9 rebounds per game, 5.3 assists per game, and shot 42.4% from the field.

Those are some real good numbers for a player of his caliber especially for playing on the Dayton Flyers. He now comes to the Huskies with a lot of expectations. He is going to have to step up his game even more, especially with the comparison to Diarra. He is going to have to play some real good offense and play some lockdown defense. He is definitely capable with that comparison.

Don't forget to bookmark UConn Huskies on SI for the latest news. exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage and more!