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<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Report scores and results to 425-339-3470 or 1-866-6-SCORES (Call after 4:30 p.m.) E-mail information including items for Tuesday's Communities Sports Roundup and Thursday's Outdoor Calendar, to sports@heraldnet.com Kevin Brown, Sports Editor kbrown@heraldnet.com   Published: Thursday, November 12, 2009 Forward signs with Washington By Scott M. Johnson Herald Writer SEATTLE — While most of Husky Nation spent the day ruing the one that got away, University of Washington men’s basketball coach Lorenzo Romar was in typical good spirits Wednesday while announcing that Desmond Simmons, and not Josh Smith, had signed a letter of intent with the school. Simmons is a 6-foot-7 swingman from Salesian High School in Richmond, Calif., who Romar said brings back memories of former Husky Bobby Jones. While he has been rated as one of the top 50 small forwards in the country by ESPN.com, Simmons is not the ballyhooed recruit that Smith — aka, The One That Got Away — is. Smith is a 6-foot-10 power forward from Kentwood High School that is widely regarded as this state’s top recruit. As an underclassman, he spent some time ranked as the nation’s top recruit but has since fallen to No. 19 in the Class of 2010 by Rivals.com. Smith had made a visit to UW and was reportedly between the Huskies and UCLA Bruins. But he announced this week that he would be heading to Southern California to continue his playing career. “In the end, I just looked at where I would feel most comfortable,” Smith told the Los Angeles Times on Tuesday. “The history and tradition appealed to me a lot. They’ve won 11 championships and all the great players who have come through the school.” Romar is not allowed to comment on players who have not officially signed a letter-of-intent, so he politely declined response when asked about Smith on Wednesday. Wednesday marked the beginning of a week-long early signing period, meaning the Huskies could add to their class in the coming days. Another signing period will come in the winter. Simmons averaged 18.2 points and 12.6 rebounds per game as a high school junior last season. “Desmond Simmons is his own guy, but he in a lot of ways reminds us of Bobby Jones because he brings a lot of energy into the game,” Romar said in a press release announcing the signing of Simmons. “His motor is always running at a high level, and he is tough — both mentally and physically. He will bring a dimension to our team that we are maybe lacking a little bit.” Simmons will be part of a 2010 freshman class that will also include current freshman C.J. Wilcox, who is redshirting this season. READER COMMENTS Be the first to comment. You must be a registered user and verify your e-mail address to post comments to blogs or articles on HeraldNet. To register, click here. To read other terms and conditions, click here. Log out

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