If injured point guard Amber Smith didn’t agree with Matthew Mitchell’s assessment that she was probably “leaning” towards coming back next year, she had every chance to squash that line of thinking during an interview Thursday.Instead, Smith confirmed what many are starting to believe, that she will not return this year and come back for her final year of eligibility next season.”Every day that passes I am leaning toward coming back next year because it’s less games that I am going to play if I come back this year,” Smith said.Smith said she’s still leaving her options open and hasn’t made a definitive decision one way or the other, but the expected timetable of her return – Mitchell is expecting her to be cleared for full activity in three weeks – would leave her with roughly eight regular-season games, the Southeastern Conference Tournament and presumably the NCAA Tournament.Although she doesn’t have a certain number of games that would coax her into returning, the less there are, the less likely she’ll return.”The less it is just makes me think about it more,” Smith said. “Do I really want to come back and play this amount of games where I could play a whole season (next year)? I’m just going to see where the team is at during the time.”Smith’s rehabilitation process is nearing an end after tearing her anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee during a pickup game in mid-July. The senior point guard from Winter Haven, Fla., had been rehabbing seven days of week. The rehab has recently been knocked down to six days a week, but the focus has now turned to strengthening her knee and quad, and getting her conditioning, agility and speed back.Smith started running, shooting and jumping a few weeks ago.”Everything feels good,” Smith said as she showed her two-inch scar on her knee.Smith had every intention of coming back this year when she initially injured her knee, but she’s since had a change of heart.When she started to consider how many games she’ll have left, the time it takes to redevelop rhythm and chemistry with her teammates, and how long it would take to get back into game shape, she realized the decision wouldn’t be as easy as she thought.”I get flashbacks,” said Smith, who tore her ACL and meniscus her freshman season. “My sophomore year, it had been eight months (since my knee injury) and I came back, but I had a terrible year with my knee. Mentally it was really rough on me and I think jumping right back in it would be really tough, but I think I would be able to handle it better because I have been through it already.”The one thing holding her back from ruling out this season is her senior teammates, roommate Victoria Dunlap and Carly Morrow. The thought of going out with them, who, along with Smith, changed the culture of the program, is hard to pass up.”I talked to Vic and she told me how she feels and supports me in whatever I want,” Smith said. “She said she wants to play with me and she expresses that to me daily, especially during the tough times like the three-game losing streak. I feel for her. I know what me, Carly and her have been through the first two years and how far we have come.”Smith wants to either play or coach basketball after college, and Smith said her mother believes a full year of school and a jumpstart on her graduate degree would be the better option for those goals.Still, witnessing some of the struggles UK has endured at the point guard position, a spot Smith started at least year and flourished, doesn’t make the decision as black and white as it may appear.”I can see if the struggling was happening in some other position, that might make it a little bit better, but the point guard position is pretty tough,” Smith said. “I was praying that wouldn’t be what happened but it is.”Watching has been difficult, but it has helped Smith get a firsthand account of what it’s like to be a coach. Mitchell has emphasized to Smith the importance of her energy to the team, regardless of whether she plays or not.Recently, Smith has embraced the role. Just before the tip of every game, Smith is in the middle of the pregame huddle to energize her teammates. “I have learned a lot about myself,” Smith said. “Coach Mitchell has pointed out things to me that I can improve. I am trying to be consistent with my energy. That’s what I struggled with in the beginning and it was harder because he wants me to come in and be involved and I didn’t think I needed to. He showed me how important it is. When we are struggling at the point guard position, I need to be there for them more.” Although all signs point to a Smith-less 2011, don’t count her out just yet. Although she’s leaning one way, she never ruled out a surprise return.”You never know when I will be back,” Smith said with a smile.