To coach Billy Donovan, Dorian Finney-Smith is a team player.
That’s why he had no problem coming off the bench last season — the first year he was eligible to compete at UF after transferring from Virginia Tech.
That’s why he would dish the ball out to keep the team flowing instead of taking an easy shot.
And for Finney-Smith, that role paid dividends last year.
"I think last year coming off the bench was one of those things where he kind of wanted to fit in," Donovan said, "and he did have a good year for us, did play substantial amount of minutes, had some veteran guys around him that helped. But he was never one of those guys that ever really wanted to inject himself and do more, he never wanted to hurt chemistry. At times last year we needed him to do more, and I’m not so sure he ever felt comfortable that giving more, doing more would be the best thing for our team."
Now that he’s healthy and a constant in the starting lineup, Finney-Smith’s numbers have only improved since gaining the additional responsibility.
"I think he performs and plays better when he’s challenged," Donovan said.
And he was challenged early.
The 6-foot-8 Finney-Smith opened the season scoring 15 points on 5-of-9 shooting in Florida’s 68-45 win against William & Mary on Nov. 14.
But in that game, Finney-Smith also suffered hairline fractures in the middle and index fingers of his non-shooting hand.
The Portsmouth, Virginia, native missed UF’s next two games — a 69-67 loss to Miami and a 61-56 overtime win against Louisiana-Monroe — while he tended to the injury.
He has since played in every game this season, but said after Florida’s 72-47 win against Mississippi State on Saturday that he only recently fully regained his confidence.
In Florida’s last six games, Finney-Smith is making 54.8 percent of his shots from the field — including 43.2 percent from downtown — and averaging 18.3 points and 6.2 rebounds per game.
But Finney-Smith has not let his injury define how he played.
"I played so I can’t use that as an excuse," Finney-Smith said. "I’m just happy to be healthy."
Added redshirt junior forward Alex Murphy: "He’s playing at a really high level right now. I mean I think that’s a result of practice and inputting the time himself."
Donovan credits Finney-Smith’s ability to adapt and expansive knowledge of the game as to why the redshirt junior has found his stride as of late.
"Dorian is such a good mover," Donovan said. "He has such a good feel. … He has a tremendous knack and very gifted basketball IQ to understand everything and play everywhere. I think that’s what makes him so versatile."
But even at that, Donovan said he wants to see Finney-Smith continue to play hard day-in and day-out.
"He’s put together a stretch here where he’s been a lot more consistent," Donovan said. "Now, whether or not he can do that for the remainder of this season remains to be seen. Even this amount of time that he’s put together consistent games, that has not been his M.O. since he’s been in college, and he’s hopefully taken a step in the right direction of doing more of that."
Follow Jordan McPherson on Twitter @J_McPherson1126
Dorian Finney-Smith dunks during Florida's 72-47 win against Mississippi State on Saturday in the O'Connell Center.
