The Seahawk's POINT MAN

South Walton point guard Dylan Smith is no stranger to the basketball court.

Smith, the 6-foot, 18-year-old senior from Winfield, Ala., has been playing basketball for as long as he can remember.

Smith and his family moved to Walton County before his junior season.

“We have a condo in Panama City,” Smith said. “We used to come and vacation here all the time.”

His familiarity with the area helped to make the transition easy.

Head basketball coach John Davies said that Smith “leads by example on the court.”

“Dylan has really grown a lot as a player and a leader,” Davies said. “He has definitely earned the respect from his team, he works very hard.”

Smith said that he puts a lot of work into his game and conditioning.

“I have gained 20 pounds over the summer,” he said. “I do circuit training three days a week.”

In addition to his training, Smith drinks two 1,000 calorie protein shakes a day to supplement his diet.

On the court Smith is a beast.

“Dylan put up 31 points Tuesday night against Cottondale,” Davies said. “That was a big win for us.”

Dylan said that he “plays an all-around game and doesn’t really have a favorite or best shot.”

“I just like to attack the bucket and draw fouls,” Smith said. “I love free throws.”

Smith shoots over 85 percent from the charity stripe.

Smith works on his shot seven days a week and shoots at least 150 shots a day.

When he’s not playing basketball, you will either find Smith hunting on his grandmother’s 15,000 acre farm outside of Jasper, Ala., or finding the closest concert to attend.

Smith has been to more than 10 concerts, with Blake Shelton being his most recent.

“I saw him at the Mullet Festival,” Smith said. “That was the best $10 bucks I have spent in a long time.”

Smith said that Hank Williams Junior was his all time favorite musician.

Smith’s all-time favorite movie is the western “Tombstone.”

“Me and my dad have been watching that movie forever,” he said. “I have probably seen it over 100 times.”

In the classroom Smith said he has a 3.5 GPA.

“I don’t really study that much,” he said. “It kind of comes naturally to me.”

Coach Davies said that Smith is “like a lot of kids, he has come to realize the importance of academics.”

After graduation, Smith said he wants to go to college and major in business marketing, although his heart leads him elsewhere.

“I love being outdoors,” Smith said. “I would like to be able to do something that involves hunting.”

While Smith said he would love to attend the University of Florida, he doesn’t think he has the size to play ball there.

“I just want to play basketball,” he said. “It doesn’t really matter where.”

Coach Davies said that he’s not worried about Smith’s size.

“His talent and work ethic are incredible,” Davies said. “They will not hold Dylan back from any school.”