Smith is a piece of work isnt he

"We feel that Carlisle, though small and remote in location, offers us access to a major metropolitan area where Thon and my daughter will experience growth culturally as well.

SO is it REMOTE or close to a major metro area ??

More likely that this school and coach are prepared to look the other way on both his age and academic history.

when they say smith -please don't tell me Ed Smith has anything to do with this Kid?

The previous school seemed like they would've been quite keen to keep him around (triple double in his last game). No suggestion of age/academic issue?

The reporter on both these stories has tweeted at Maker directly, trying to get his side of things. No reply when I last checked.

How common is this "guardian" situation, and how regularly does it work?

You get the impression that the movement wasn't handled brilliantly by the guardian/Smith side, leaving the coach and team in the lurch a little?

Anon should do some research before saying comments like academic issues.

Country Day had some pretty high academic requirements.. in fact a top 5 player Khalea Turner who tried to join the school(he's on the same AU team as Thon) wasnt eligible because he didnt reach the requirements.

I think the new school is pretty good academics as well.. my fear is that Thon's getting dragged around and used by Smith for his own purposes

Ed Smith - "piece of work" - please explain ...

You are trying to convince people that some refugee from the Sudan who NEVER went to school there and has done a few yrs of elementry level school work here is suddenly up to International Baccalaureate program levels ?? Come on dude who are you kidding ????

Lets be real. He doesn't need an education coz he's gonna be balling in the NBA!!!

Anon your abit of a moron arent you? can't you read at all?

Considering he was eligible at Country Day, which isnt a basketball factory type school but a pretty decent academic school goes to show he isnt exactly stupid.. he was in the Australian school system for like 4-5 years wasnt he(he came to Aus when he was 9 didnt he?) is sure as hell enough time to catch up.

Just because the kids sudanese and missed a few years of schooling when he was a little kid doesnt mean he can't catch up

Thon will be playing for Jason Niblett whose name was mentioned in some questionable recruiting stuff with Ater Majok and UCONN.

I have had dealings with Ed Smith for years, he is banned from coaching at all decent staduims in sydney.
Ok the guy can coach talent but does he develop it or does he just expose it?
Comets and Norths in sydney will not touch players who have involvement with Ed Smith
Thon should run, run far far away from this guy. because Ed is just trying to get a Div 1 gig and will exploit any and every kid to get there

In the Aust school systme for like 3 or 4 years ?? Really that long ?? SO he has had a total of 3 or 4 years of schooling ??? You must be living in fairy land mate, or a WAVERLEY coach !
They are all the same, Deng Deng claimed he went to Box Hill and was certainly enrolled there but all the kids I know who attend that school never saw him but if you went down to MSAC any day of the week and any time there he was with all his mates. We treat these refugee kids like they are special, what about all the homeless aussies. Everyone is scared to critisize for fear of upsetting the softies who run things nowadays. A cheat is a cheat no matter what and these kids and thier minders are CHEATING.

after doing a little research about Thon, i found out the school he attented and the junior program he trained at.
Thon did attent school, but only to the point that he wasn't suspended and the teachers were too scared to do anything
his junior basketball team coach (under 14's) was too scared to say any to the kid and wasn't allowed to have input because the kid was with a large group of other sudanese players and didn't want to be made out as a racist
who is to blame about this?
if the australian school system comes down on them we get into trouble for being racist
if the coach says something he is treated as a racist
if BA comes down they flee and run to the US

Ok dipshit.. he came to Australia when he was 7.. that means he was in the Aussie school system for 7 years before he spent a year at Country Day.

Again can't you read idiot?? Country Day had a pretty high academic standard to get into the school.. Kahlea Turner or whatever his name, a top 5 2015/16 kid couldnt get into the school cause his grades werent up to scratch, but guess what, Thon got in!.. explain that you retard, you saying they'll let one kid skate in cause he's really good at basketball but still won't let another kid in even tho he's just as good?

I'm not buying into this argument either way because I know nothing about it, but I will say this. Sircreate, stooping to calling someone a retard is pretty disgusting and it kind of ruins your credibility. You probably have some valid points but we can't see past them because of your immature name calling.

Stick to the facts and you might actually be believable.