Al Smith (basketball) facts for kids
Smith at Bradley during the 1967–68 season
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 15, 1947 Peoria, Illinois |
| High school | Manual (Peoria, Illinois) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Listed weight | 185 lb (84 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Bradley (1966–1968, 1970–1971) |
| NBA Draft | 1971 / Round: 11 / Pick: 180th overall |
| Selected by the Chicago Bulls | |
| Pro career | 1971–1976 |
| Career history | |
| 1971–1974 | Denver Rockets |
| 1974–1975 | Utah Stars |
| 1978-1979 | Tucson Gunners |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Career ABA statistics | |
| Points | 3,298 (9.8 ppg) |
| Assists | 1,793 (5.3 apg) |
| Rebounds | 865 (2.6 rpg) |
Alan Richard Smith (born January 15, 1947) is a retired American basketball player. He played for five seasons in the American Basketball Association (ABA). Al Smith was a point guard, a player who leads the team's offense. He played for the Denver Rockets and Utah Stars. He even led the ABA in assists in one season.
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Al Smith's Early Life
Al Smith was born in Peoria, Illinois. He went to Manual High School in Peoria. Smith was a talented athlete. He played basketball, football, and baseball. He earned "All-State" honors in all three sports. This means he was one of the best players in the state.
His baseball skills were so good that the Chicago White Sox baseball team drafted him. They picked him in the 7th round of the first-ever Major League Baseball draft in 1965. But instead of playing professional baseball, Al Smith chose to go to college.
College Sports Career
Smith received offers from big universities like USC and Notre Dame. However, he decided to attend Bradley University. He wanted to play both basketball and baseball there.
He spent four years at Bradley. His college time was paused for two years when he served in the United States Army. As a college basketball player, he scored over 1,000 points for Bradley. In 1971, during his senior year, he was named first-team All-Missouri Valley Conference. This was a big honor. In 2004, Bradley University honored his success. They chose him for their All-Century team.
Playing for the Denver Rockets
In 1971, the National Basketball Association's Chicago Bulls drafted Al Smith. They picked him in the 11th round of the NBA Draft. He had also been drafted by the Bulls in 1969. The American Basketball Association's Denver Rockets also drafted him. They picked him in the 4th round of their own draft.
Smith chose to sign with the Denver Rockets. This team is now known as the NBA's Nuggets. He played for the Rockets for three seasons. In his first season, he was a backup point guard. He averaged nine points and three assists per game.
Becoming a Starter
Al Smith became the Rockets' main point guard in the 1972–1973 season. This happened after their previous point guard, Larry Brown, became a head coach. In his second season, Smith scored a career-high of over eleven points per game. He also averaged five-and-a-half assists per game.
His scoring went down a little in the 1973–1974 season. But he averaged eight assists per game. He even led the entire ABA in assists that season!
Time with the Utah Stars
Before the 1974–1975 season, Al Smith was traded. He went to the Utah Stars in exchange for a draft pick and some money. In his first season with the Stars, he averaged eight points per game. This was a career low for him. He also averaged four-and-a-half assists per game.
His second season with the Stars was short. It lasted only fifteen games. The Utah Stars team stopped playing in December of that year. A knee injury that kept bothering him eventually ended his basketball career. He played for five seasons in total. He retired with over 3,200 points and more than 1,700 assists.
Playing for the Tucson Gunners
After his time in the ABA, Al Smith played for the Tucson Gunners. This was in the Western Basketball Association. He played for them in their first and only season, from 1978 to 1979.
Life After Basketball
After his basketball career, Al Smith became a social worker in Denver. He also worked at a company that supplied cable television. For about a year and a half, he was an assistant coach at Manual High School. He helped lead the school to win two state championships. As of 2007, Smith was working as a school counselor in Paterson, New Jersey.
See also
In Spanish: Al Smith (baloncestista) para niños
