Derrick and Dee: full of talent and fun to watch
By Steve Williams
Was Derrick Smith Jr. a better football player or basketball player in high school? That’s a tough question, because he was a tough player in both sports.
Small but quick, the 5-foot-10 Smith was a wide receiver and cornerback for Fulton in the fall and a shooting guard who could also take charges defensively in the winter months.
Athletic Director Rob Black announced Smith as the FHS male Student-Athlete of the Year for 2024-25 and Damieona “Dee” Williams the female honoree.
Derrick was a senior starter on the Falcons’ third straight trip to the TSSAA state basketball tournament in March. He and sophomore teammate Nick Steen were the key players and named to the Tennessee Sports Writers Association’s All-State team.
Smith signed a football scholarship with Tusculum University as an “athlete” on Feb. 5.
“Derrick Smith was everything you want in a player,” said Jody Wright, Assistant Principal and Head Boys’ Basketball Coach. “He was tough, a great teammate, hardworking and a great competitor. He showed up every day to compete, get better and make everyone around him better.
“Derrick has a burning desire to be great and that is one of the many things that I loved about him,” added Wright. “When things got hard and difficult, we knew we could always count on Derrick to show up in a big way, and he usually did.”
Williams, athletic and 5-11, stood out on Fulton’s first girls’ flag football team, which captured the district championship last fall. The Lady Falcons also played in the first TSSAA State Invitational tournament in early May in Murfreesboro.
Dee played basketball throughout high school. A shooting forward, she earned All-District honors and was on The Knoxville Focus / Coaches’ All-Knox County second team that included all classifications. She was approaching 1,000 rebounds late in her senior season.
Williams is going to play basketball at John A. Logan College in Carterville, Illinois.
“Dee Williams is maybe the best raw athlete I have seen in my time at Fulton,” said Coach Wright. “There was nothing that she did not excel at. She has all the tools that great athletes have. She can run like the wind, jump out of the gym, and make all of it seem so easy.
“She has been such a joy to watch compete these last four years,” added Jody. “She is a humble young lady, always respectful and just plain fun to be around. I’m excited for her as she moves on to play at the college level.”
