"She's like 4"6": High school phenom Kaleena Smith gets playfully roasted by 5-star prospect Jezelle Banks

High school stars Kaleena Smith and Jezelle Banks shared a fun moment recently on the set of ‘Overtime’. The duo was asked a question, “If you could only play basketball with one person for the rest of your life, who would it be?”

Smith read the question aloud, turning to Banks, who did not hold back in teasing her longtime friend.

“Okay, I would say Kaleena, but she’s short,” Banks joked, throwing a side glance as Smith gave her the stare.

“You know, height don't matter though, my fault. Alright, I’m going to say Kaleena. Only because, you know, height don't matter. She proves everybody wrong too. She’s like 4'6", you know,” Banks added.

Smith responded with a correction.

“Basically, I grew and I’m 5'5", 5'6" now,” she said.

But Banks kept the banter going:

“Y’all hear that? 5’5”?”

The playful back and forth then turned into a mini height debate, with Smith calling Banks out:

“Girl, you was 5’8", 5’7".”

“No, I’m 5’10,” Banks replied.

“Hell no, Tati’s 5’10,” Smith responded.

“I’m taller than Tati,” Banks claimed.

“No, you’re not,” Smith added, refusing to budge.

Smith and Banks are great talents. And despite being one of the shortest on the court, Smith has proven her worth time and again.

The 5-foot-6 guard guided Ontario Christian High to a Southern Section Open Division title, and was named The Times’ player of the year in girls’ basketball.

Banks, on the other hand, is ranked No. 6 in the Class of 2027 by ESPN. After dominating at Ursuline Academy in Wilmington, Delaware, she recently moved to the St. James Performance Academy in Virginia.

She has reached 1,000 career points and has multiple All-State and player of the year honors, making her one of the top rising prospects in the country.

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Kaleena Smith’s coach calls her a ‘culture changer’

Smith’s height has not been a hindrance to her basketball skills, as the guard has shown her worth on the court through dribbling, shooting and assists. Her coach, Aundre Cummings, believes she is a culture changer.

“She’s a culture changer,” Cummings said. “She impacts the game. Her humility is contagious. It’s a blessing to see.”

Smith has two years left in high school, but she is already gaining traction, signing a NIL deal with Adidas.