Adrian Smith (basketball) facts for kids
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | October 5, 1936 Farmington, Kentucky, U.S. |
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| High school | Farmington (Farmington, Kentucky) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 180 lb (82 kg) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||||||||||||
| College |
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| NBA Draft | 1958 / Round: 15 / Pick: 85th overall | |||||||||||||||||||
| Selected by the Cincinnati Royals | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 1961–1972 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1959–1960 | USAF All-Stars | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1961 | Akron Goodyear Wingfoots | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1961–1969 | Cincinnati Royals | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1969–1971 | San Francisco Warriors | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1971–1972 | Virginia Squires | |||||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Career NBA and ABA statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Points | 8,750 (11.3 ppg) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Rebounds | 1,626 (2.1 rpg) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Assists | 1,739 (2.3 apg) | |||||||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Adrian Howard "Odie" Smith (born October 5, 1936) is a retired American basketball player. He was known for his amazing shooting skills. Adrian played in the NBA and also won gold medals for the United States in the Olympics and Pan American Games.
Contents
Adrian Smith's Early Life and Basketball Start
Adrian Smith was born on October 5, 1936. He grew up in Farmington, Kentucky, as the fifth of six children. His family lived in a farmhouse that didn't have electricity or indoor plumbing.
Adrian got the nickname "Odie" from a comedian on a famous radio show called the Grand Ole Opry. When he was a kid, he went to a small, three-room school. His family didn't have money for a basketball. So, he learned to shoot by rolling up his dad's socks to make a ball!
Adrian almost didn't play high school basketball. His school principal and coach had to promise to give him a ride home after practice. His house was seven miles away. After high school, he didn't get a scholarship right away.
College Basketball Journey
Adrian Smith started his college basketball career at Northeast Mississippi Junior College. His coach there, Bonner Arnold, saw how talented Adrian was. He convinced the famous University of Kentucky coach, Adolph Rupp, to watch Adrian play. Soon after, Adrian got a scholarship to Kentucky.
In his junior year at Kentucky, Adrian didn't play much at first. But when a star player got sick, Adrian stepped up. He averaged 16.3 points per game for seven games!
As a senior, Adrian became a starter. He averaged 12.4 points per game. His team, known as the "Fiddlin' Five," won the national championship in 1958. They beat Seattle University 84–72. Adrian scored seven points in that championship game. He graduated from Kentucky with a business degree.
Olympic Gold Medalist
After college, Adrian Smith was chosen in the 1958 NBA draft by the Cincinnati Royals. He was picked in the 15th round, as the 85th player overall.
Instead of joining the Royals right away, Adrian joined the U.S. Army. He played on the Army's all-star team. In 1960, he was chosen to play for the United States men's national basketball team. This team went on to win the gold medal at the 1960 Olympics in Rome, Italy.
The U.S. team was undefeated, winning all eight games. It included future Hall of Famers like Oscar Robertson and Jerry West. In their first game against Italy, Adrian Smith was the top scorer with 17 points! The team won their games by a huge average of 42.4 points.
Before starting his NBA career, Adrian also played for the Akron Goodyear Wingfoots in 1961.
Professional Basketball Career
Adrian Smith began his professional career in the NBA in the 1961–62 NBA season with the Cincinnati Royals. For his first three seasons, he was a backup player. He averaged about 20 minutes per game and scored between 7.2 and 9.4 points per game.
In his fourth season (1964–65), Adrian became a starter for the Royals. He played over 34 minutes per game and averaged 15.1 points.
NBA All-Star MVP
The 1965–66 NBA season was Adrian's best. He averaged a career-high 18.4 points per game. The Royals had a good season, winning 45 games. They played against the Boston Celtics in the playoffs, taking them to a fifth game before losing.
During this season, Adrian scored a career-high 34 points against the Celtics. Later, he scored 35 points in another game. He was also chosen for the 1966 NBA All-Star Game. Even though the game had many future Hall of Fame players, Adrian was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP)! He scored 24 points in just 26 minutes. This was his only All-Star appearance. For winning MVP, he received a brand new Ford Galaxie car.
In the 1966–67 NBA season, Adrian averaged 16.6 points. He also led the NBA in free throw percentage, making 90.3% of his free throws. He played in the most games in the league for the fourth time.
Adrian played for the Royals until the 1969–70 NBA season. He was then traded to the San Francisco Warriors. He played for the Warriors for two seasons. In his final NBA season (1970–71), he played 21 games.
Virginia Squires (ABA)
Adrian finished his professional career in the American Basketball Association (ABA). He played for the Virginia Squires in the 1971–72 ABA season. He averaged 5.1 points per game in his last season.
Honors and Achievements
Adrian Smith has received many honors for his basketball career:
- The entire 1960 USA Olympic basketball team, including Adrian, was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on August 13, 2010.
- He is also a member of the Northeast Mississippi Community College Sports Hall of Fame.
- He is in the Mississippi Community College Sports Hall of Fame.
Life After Basketball
After retiring from basketball, Adrian Smith worked for many years at Fifth Third Bank in Cincinnati. He became a vice president there. He lives in Cincinnati with his wife, Paula. He still owns the Ford Galaxie car he won as the 1966 NBA All-Star Game MVP!
See also
In Spanish: Adrian Smith (baloncestista) para niños
