How wideout Skyler Bell helped UConn men land Malachi Smith

STORRS – Skyler Bell received a text in his family group chat from his brother, O’Shea. It was a link to a post on X that said his good friend, former Dayton guard Malachi Smith, was in the transfer portal and that UConn was one of the schools showing interest.

No one subsequently showed more interest than Bell, who has become a star at the football complex across the street from Gampel as the top wide receiver on the team.

“Instantly once I saw that I FaceTimed him like, ‘Bro, you looking at UConn?’ He said, ‘Yeah, I might come up on a visit this weekend,’” Bell told The Courant. “After that, yeah, I made sure he wasn’t leaving here without no commitment.”

Smith reunited with his long-time best friend and former AAU teammate near the end of Saturday’s football practice, walking across Jim Calhoun Way to the football facility during his visit with Dan Hurley and the basketball coaches. His commitment seemed like a done deal at that point and the announcement came two days later on Monday. Bell immediately turned to social media, posting an emoji in sunglasses that was viewed more than 53,000 times.

There is a family connection: Bell’s parents grew up with Smith’s in the Bronx, and Smith’s dad, Elliot Rosado, coached Bell’s older brother and then Bell in basketball.

“I was always around Malachi since we were probably three or four (years old) and ever since then, his dad started coaching me and him and we just stayed in contact,” said Bell, who attended the Taft School in Watertown while Smith starred at St. Raymond’s High in the Bronx.

“That’s like my brother, man… He used to go to high school right by my house so I used to always see him after school. But yeah, I’m glad he’s here. I’m glad I could help out a little bit and get him here, that’s my guy so hopefully Storrs gives him a nice welcome but I can’t wait until he gets up here.”

Bell has had his own journey through the transfer portal, starting his career at Wisconsin where he played three seasons before moving closer to home to be “the guy” at UConn. While he was in Madison, Bell would make the seven-hour drive to Dayton, Ohio, to watch Smith’s games.

The 6-foot point guard made an immediate impact for the Flyers, starting 29 of 33 games and averaging 9.3 points, 5.3 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game as a freshman. He dealt with injuries over the next two seasons but caught UConn’s attention when he scored nine points to help beat the Huskies at the Maui Invitational in November.

UConn men’s basketball lands former Dayton guard Malachi Smith out of transfer portal

Smith finished his 2024-25 redshirt junior season averaging 10.4 points, 5.3 assists and 2.9 rebounds per game while shooting 38.3% from beyond the arc. Coming in with one year of eligibility remaining, his commitment gives UConn one of the most experienced and talented backcourt units in the country as he joins forces with Solo Ball and Georgia transfer Silas Demary Jr., who is likely to be the Huskies’ starting point guard.

“Play-style wise, I think it’s a perfect fit for him,” said Bell, who grew up playing with Smith in basketball tournaments from New Jersey to Maryland, Florida, and especially getting close in Memphis, where they went to their first national tournament as second graders playing above their age group and built an unbreakable bond as roommates.

“Being a true point guard that he is, I think that he could bring something to UConn that maybe they didn’t have, and especially bring a bigger element to it. Being from the Bronx and being a New York City guard, we’ve got a little moxie to us, a little bit of – I don’t want to say arrogance, but we play with a chip on our shoulder a little bit,” Bell said. “I’m excited for him, man. I think he’s gonna do great things. I can’t wait to hang out with him a bunch and he’s gonna be living close to me, so I’m excited.”

Bell led the Huskies with 860 receiving yards and five touchdowns on 50 catches in his first year in Storrs. He entered the transfer portal, threatening to be the third top receiver to leave UConn in as many years, but the program was determined to recruit him back and he announced he’d return for his final year of eligibility shortly after the Fenway Bowl victory.

Now he’ll spend that final year with one of his best friends. And if Smith can make a similar impact, the Huskies will be in good shape on both sides of the street.

“Just getting him here, it just feels surreal,” Bell said. “We were talking about it when he was up here, it feels fake a little almost. I just can’t wait until he gets up here.”