Josh Smith has grown as a player. Early in his career, Smith was viewed as nothing more than a high-flying kid that should have gone to college.  Like Dominique Wilkins, Smith would give Hawks fans plenty of footage for a highlight reel, but the young forward wasn?t a player that could help a team win and ultimately would turn out to be a bust.

Things have change for the 24-year-old cornerstone of the Hawks.

The Hawks? days of playing the role of NBA doormat are over. Smith has helped his team create a buzz in Atlanta that hasn?t been felt since the days of Mookie Blaylock and Steve Smith.  He?s still an exciting, high-flying young man, but not the bust many predicted he would be.

?Josh is playing more within himself,? Al Horford told RealGM. ?He?s playing aggressive and having a lot of fun. You can see he?s grown up a lot.?

Changes and growth in Smith?s personal life have played a major role in his on-court growth. Coming off the Hawks? most successful season in 10 years, the man they call ?J-Smoove? reached out to a familiar face for guidance.

?I have to give credit to Steve Smith,? Smith said to RealGM. ?I stayed home this summer because I had a newborn son. I was able to get in touch with Steve. He really helped me out on a lot of things. Letting me know what I need to do in order to succeed.?

Steve Smith's advice has been paying off.  

This season Smith is among the NBA?s league leaders in blocked shots and steals, leading all forwards with 1.5 thefts per game. His assists are up and he?s making better decisions on the floor, something that has the Hawks near the top of the Eastern Conference standings.

?He does everything on the court,? Jamal Crawford told RealGM. ?He can do some scary things out there. He rebounds, defends, scores and gets assists. We?re a good team because of the things he does for us.?

Crawford isn?t the only player that is impressed with the way Smith has played this year.

?I?m really happy to see him playing as well as he?s been playing,? three-time NBA All-Star Dwight Howard said to RealGM. ?I remember sitting in the draft Green Room and hearing one of the guys say he was going to be the biggest bust ever. I got upset about it; I know my homeboy can play basketball. Seeing him grow from that moment to the player he is today means a lot to me; hopefully I can see him in Dallas.?

The All-Star game is the next stop for Smith. He?s playing a major role for a winning team. Truth be told, he should have, in my opinion, been an All-Star last season; this year is a no-brainer. Smith, however, doesn?t dwell on the things that haven?t yet happened, though an All-Star birth is a goal he?s striving for.

?It would mean a lot to me,? Smith said. ?It?s a goal that I?ve set before every season. It would be a stepping stone in my career, a point where I can?t look back. It?s an extra motivate because of where I?m come from.  People saying I wouldn?t amount to anything in this league; it would mean a lot.?

Fans could be in for a major treat if he is fortunate enough to make the team.

Smith, the 2005 winner of the NBA dunk contest, would consider a showdown with friend and winner of the 2008 dunk contest if he is named to the All-Star team.

?That could be a possibility,? said Smith. ?I don?t know what he (Howard) is going to do; he might be done with it. It?s a good experience, but after a couple of times you want to move on to other things. But it?s a possibility?