Former Citadel Bulldogs and Charleston Cougars guard AJ Smith (1) has received interest from the Utah Runnin' Utes since entering the transfer portal. Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

Utah basketball reached out to intriguing mid-major transfer

Originally posted on Utah Utes on SI | By Cole Forsman | Last updated May 1, 2025 3:16 PM ET

College of Charleston transfer AJ Smith has reportedly drawn the attention of some of the wealthiest and most notable brands in the sport since entering the transfer portal a month ago.

Along with the likes of Duke, BYU and Washington, the 6-foot-5, 210-pound guard has received interest from Utah, according to reports.

College of Charleston transfer AJ Smith has received interest from the following programs, he tells TPR:

Duke
Washington
Utah
UNLV
BYU
Seton Hall
George Mason
Chattanooga
Temple
Minnesota
Winthrop
WKU
Southern Illinois pic.twitter.com/9UBH0BVSCO
— The Portal Report (@ThePortalReport) May 1, 2025

Smith put up 11.5 points and 3.1 rebounds per game with the Cougars last season. He made 30 appearances, including 22 starts, and shot 43.1% from the field, 25.0% from 3-point range and 75.2% from the free-throw line. His 25 points on Jan. 30 in a matchup against Stony Brook was a season-high and one of four games in which he finished with 20 or more points.

Smith spent the first two seasons of his career at The Citadel, where he averaged 16.2 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists as a sophomore in the 2023-24 campaign. He also knocked down a career-best 35.4% of his 3-point attempts (3.4 per game) that season.

Utah's reported interest in the Charlotte, North Carolina, native comes after Alex Jensen and his staff reeled in Western Kentucky grad transfer Don McHenry, a 6-foot-2 guard who averaged 17.0 points last season. McHenry was the sixth newcomer to the Runnin' Utes this spring, joining 6-foot-4 guardElijah "Choppa" Moore (5.2 ppg at Syracuse), 6-foot-8 forward James Okonkwo (6.9 ppg at Akron), 6-foot-3 guard Terrence Brown (20.6 ppg at Fairleigh Dickinson) and 6-foot-6 wing Jahki Howard (4.2 ppg Auburn). Meanwhile, a dozen players from last season's squad hit the portal, leaving a clean slate for Jensen and company to work with for the next few months.