Bingo Smith facts for kids

Robert "Bingo" Smith (born February 26, 1946 – died October 26, 2023) was an American professional basketball player. He was known for his amazing long-range shots. Bingo played for three different teams during his career: the San Diego Rockets, the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the San Diego Clippers.

College Basketball Days

Bingo Smith played college basketball for the Tulsa Golden Hurricane team. This is where he got his famous nickname, "Bingo"! The team's announcer, Len Morton, would shout "Bingo!" every time Robert scored a basket. It stuck with him for the rest of his career.

Playing in the NBA

Starting His Professional Journey

In 1969, Bingo Smith was chosen by the San Diego Rockets as the sixth pick in the first round of the 1969 NBA draft. This was a big deal, as it meant he was one of the top young players entering the league.

A year later, in 1970, the Cleveland Cavaliers picked him in a special draft called the Expansion Draft. This draft allowed new teams to choose players from other teams. In his very first game with the Cavaliers, Bingo showed his skills by scoring 21 points!

Key Moments with the Cavaliers

Bingo was a very important player for the Cavaliers. He helped them win the NBA Central Division title in the 1976 season. He was also a part of a famous moment known as the "Miracle at Richfield". This was when the Cavaliers won a very exciting playoff game against the Washington Bullets.

Over 11 seasons, Bingo Smith played in 865 games. He was especially good at making jump shots from far away, even from what we now call the three-point line. He made 4,776 field goals and had a shooting percentage of .449. He also made 1,307 free throws, with a success rate of .798. Throughout his career, he collected 3,630 rebounds, made 1,734 assists, and scored a total of 10,882 points. His unique shooting style was often called a "rainbow jumper" because of its high arc.

His best season was in 1974, when he averaged 15.9 points per game. He played all 82 games in four of his seasons, showing how reliable he was. He scored his 10,000th point during the 1979 season.

Moving On and Retirement

In October 1979, Bingo was traded to the San Diego Clippers. It was interesting because the Cavaliers decided to retire his jersey number, 7, just a month later, even though he was still playing for another team! He ended his career in the same city where it began, San Diego.

After playing one season with the Clippers, Bingo was chosen by the Dallas Mavericks in another expansion draft in 1980. However, he decided to retire at age 34 and never played for them.

Honors and Legacy

Bingo Smith received many honors for his basketball career:

• In 1984, he was inducted into the University of Tulsa Athletics Hall of Fame.
• His jersey number 7 was retired by the Cleveland Cavaliers, meaning no other player on that team will wear it again.
• In 2020, his number 32 was also retired by the Tulsa Golden Hurricane, honoring his college achievements.
• He is ranked high in the Cavaliers' history for games played, minutes played, points scored, and field goals made.
• In 2016, Bingo Smith became a member of the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame.

Personal Life and Passing

On April 1, 2009, Bingo Smith had a stroke. He was divorced and had five children, five grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

Bingo Smith passed away on October 26, 2023, at the age of 77.

See also

In Spanish: Bingo Smith para niños