Greg Smith (basketball, born 1947) facts for kids

Gregory Darnell Smith (born January 28, 1947) is a retired American basketball player. He was a very important starter for the Milwaukee Bucks team that won the National Basketball Association (NBA) championship in the 1970–71 season.

Early Life and High School Basketball

Greg Smith was born in Princeton, Kentucky, on January 28, 1947. He went to Dotson High School, which later joined with Caldwell County High School. Greg played basketball with his older brother, Dwight, on the Dotson team.

His high school teams won district championships in 1961–62 and 1962–63. Greg was chosen for the district all-tournament teams. He and Dwight led their Dotson team to the Kentucky state basketball tournament twice.

In his senior year (1963–64) at Caldwell County High, Greg's team had a great record of 24 wins and 7 losses. He scored an average of 16.1 points per game. He also set a school record by getting 37 rebounds in one game!

Greg was named the most valuable player of the Second Region tournament in 1964. His team reached the quarterfinals of the Kentucky state high school championship. Greg was also named to the all-state tournament team. He is the only player from Caldwell County High to have his jersey number retired, which is a huge honor.

College Basketball Career

Greg Smith followed his brother Dwight to Western Kentucky University on a basketball scholarship. He studied physical education and social work there. He played college basketball for the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers.

In his second year (1965–66), Greg averaged 9.5 points and 10.3 rebounds per game. The Hilltoppers won the Ohio Valley Conference championship in 1966. The team had an impressive 25–3 record and was ranked 10th in the country. His teammates included his brother Dwight and future NBA star Clem Haskins.

The Hilltoppers won their first game in the 1966 NCAA tournament. However, they lost a very close game by one point to the University of Michigan. Greg had nine points and 13 rebounds in that game.

In his junior year, Greg averaged 11.8 points and 10.9 rebounds per game. The 1966–67 team also won the Ohio Valley Conference championship. They were ranked 6th in the final Associated Press poll. They lost a close overtime game in the first round of the 1967 NCAA tournament.

As a senior, Greg averaged 13 points and 14.5 rebounds per game. He was one of the top rebounders in the Ohio Valley Conference.

Professional Basketball Journey

After college, Greg Smith was chosen by two professional basketball leagues. The Kentucky Colonels picked him in the American Basketball Association (ABA) draft. The Milwaukee Bucks also picked him in the fourth round of the 1968 NBA draft. Greg decided to play for the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA.

He played as a forward for the Milwaukee Bucks (1968–71), Houston Rockets (1971–72), and Portland Trail Blazers (1972–75).

Playing for the Milwaukee Bucks

Greg Smith was a rookie on the very first Milwaukee Bucks team in 1968–69. He played almost 28 minutes per game, averaging 8.1 points and 10.2 rebounds. The Bucks were a new team and had a record of 27 wins and 55 losses.

Things changed a lot for the Bucks the next season! They drafted a future Hall of Fame player, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (who was known as Lew Alcindor back then). They also drafted another future Hall of Famer, Bob Dandridge.

With these new players, the 1969–70 Bucks improved a lot. They won 56 games and reached the Eastern division finals. Greg Smith started as a power forward, averaging 9.8 points and 8.7 rebounds per game. In the playoffs, he often had a "double-double," meaning he scored double-digit points and had double-digit rebounds in the same game.

Greg Smith was a key player when the Bucks won the 1970–71 NBA Championship. This was a huge achievement! In that season, he averaged 11.7 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game. He played very well in the playoffs, helping the Bucks win the championship.

In December 1971, the Bucks traded Greg to the Houston Rockets. Even though he was only 6 feet, 5 inches tall, which is small for a power forward, Greg was an amazing rebounder. He was also as fast as many guards. This made him a very tough player to play against.

Famous players like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson (who were both on the Bucks team and are now in the Hall of Fame) said Greg Smith was incredibly important to their championship team. Abdul-Jabbar believed Greg's absence was a reason the Bucks didn't win another championship. Robertson even said Greg was the toughest defender he ever played against!

Time with the Rockets and Trail Blazers

After leaving the championship-winning Bucks, Greg joined the Houston Rockets. He averaged 9.1 points and 6 rebounds per game with them.

Early the next season, in October 1972, the Rockets traded him to the Portland Trail Blazers. He played about 22 minutes per game with the Trail Blazers that season. Greg played two more seasons as a reserve player for the Trail Blazers before his NBA career ended in 1975.

Greg Smith's NBA Career Numbers

In his 8 seasons in the NBA, Greg Smith played in 524 games. He scored a total of 4,097 points, which is an average of 7.8 points per game. He also grabbed 3,249 rebounds (6.2 per game) and made 969 assists (1.8 per game).

Personal Life and Community Work

In 1967, Greg Smith experienced a very sad event. His brother Dwight and sister Kay were in a car accident and passed away. Greg was also in the car but survived. His brother Dwight was also a talented basketball player and had been drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers. Dwight is remembered as a great player and has been honored in several Halls of Fame.

After retiring from basketball, Greg Smith worked in advertising for a radio station. He also worked for Portland's recreation commission. He was involved in community work, leading the Oregon Black Republican Council for several years.

Greg continued to play basketball after retiring, joining an Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) team. He also helped form a Trail Blazers alumni team with other retired players. For over 20 years, this team traveled around Oregon and Washington. They raised more than $2 million for different non-profit organizations, helping many people!

Greg and his wife Linda have five children. His son, Keith Smith, was named Oregon's high school basketball player of the year in 1985–86. Keith went on to play college basketball for the University of California. Another son, Damien Dwight Smith, was also a great athlete in high school, playing basketball, football, and track.

Honors and Achievements

Greg Smith has received many honors for his basketball career:

• He was inducted into the Kentucky High School Hall of Fame in 1997.
• He was inducted into the Western Kentucky's Athletics Hall of Fame in 1998.
• In 2023, he was inducted into the Kentucky High School Basketball Hall of Fame. He and his brother Dwight are the only brothers to be in this Hall of Fame together.

NBA Career Statistics

Regular Season

Playoffs

See also

In Spanish: Greg Smith (baloncestista de 1947) para niños