One would not be wrong to believe that the Cairns Taipans looked like they were considering the possibility of avoiding any signings for the upcoming season. For the past four months, they have had only five players under contract. Perhaps it was believed that the quota for a starting line-up was satisfied so there was no need for further additions. While other teams quickly swooped on their desired local talent, the Taipans sat back in the bliss of potential privatisation while their head coach departed on an international job search and made no such moves. With talks of a team sale quelled again and Adam Forde returned from his global desires, the Taipans now leap into action and complete a great signing with Reyne Smith.

Smith is a shooting guard with an emphasis on the shooting. He has finished his collegiate career in the United States where he showcased his exceptional three-point abilities across his stints at the College of Charleston and Louisville. Smith’s collection of College of Charleston accomplishments are related almost purely to his three-point shooting: he set a program season record for most three-pointers made by a freshman in 2021–22; he set a school record for most three-pointers made in a game in 2023; broke that same record in 2024; and finished his three-year career with the second most career three-pointers made in program history. Smith moved to Louisville where he continued his three-point shooting endeavours; his 282 three-point attempts were a new team record while his 107 made three-pointers ranked as second-best. Across his collegiate career, Smith attempted 9.3 shots per game – 8.1 of those were three-pointers. He averaged a career-high 13.1 points during his one season at Louisville.

Smith is a player made in the mould of Chris Goulding and Dejan Vasiljevic minus any particular desire to step across the three-point line. Another player in a similar style would be former Taipan Jonah Antonio; 3.7 of his 4.3 shots per game during the 2024–25 season were three-pointers. Antonio remains a free agent so it could be that the Taipans decide to run a pair of guards who would rather not exist when presented with the opportunity for a two-point field goal.

Smith is a true bucket getter. Perhaps a bucket shooter is more of an apt term for him. There will be no shortage of shots coming from Smith. This is a great signing for the Taipans as well with the likelihood of Smith developing into being one of Australia’s premier shooters. He will get that opportunity in abundance with the Taipans while they undergo their rebuild. Let it reyne.