Ish Smith facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Ish Smith

Smith with the Washington Wizards in 2020
Washington Wizards
Scout
Personal information
Born	(1988-07-05) July 5, 1988 (age 37) Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S.
High school	Central Cabarrus (Concord, North Carolina)
Listed height	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Listed weight	175 lb (79 kg)
Career information
College	Wake Forest (2006–2010)
NBA Draft	2010 / Undrafted
Pro career	2010–2024
League	NBA
Career history
2010–2011	Houston Rockets
2011	→Rio Grande Valley Vipers
2011	Memphis Grizzlies
2011–2012	Golden State Warriors
2012–2013	Orlando Magic
2013	Milwaukee Bucks
2013–2014	Phoenix Suns
2014–2015	Oklahoma City Thunder
2015	Philadelphia 76ers
2015	New Orleans Pelicans
2015–2016	Philadelphia 76ers
2016–2019	Detroit Pistons
2019–2021	Washington Wizards
2021–2022	Charlotte Hornets
2022	Washington Wizards
2022–2023	Denver Nuggets
2023–2024	Charlotte Hornets
Career highlights and awards
NBA champion (2023) Second-team All-ACC (2010)
Career NBA statistics
Points	5,712 (7.1 ppg)
Rebounds	1,920 (2.4 rpg)
Assists	3,044 (3.8 apg)

Ishmael Larry Smith (born July 5, 1988) is an American former professional basketball player. He now works as a scout for the Washington Wizards in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Ish Smith played college basketball for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons.

He holds a special record for playing with the most NBA teams, having been on 13 different franchises. In 2023, he won an NBA championship with the Denver Nuggets.

High School Basketball Journey

Ish Smith went to Central Cabarrus High School. His coach was Scott Brewer. In his senior year, he was amazing, scoring about 25 points and making almost 10 assists per game.

He helped his team achieve a perfect 28–0 record. They also won their conference title in 2006. Because of his great play, he was named the Meca–6 Conference Player of the Year.

When he finished high school, experts thought he was one of the best point guards in the country.

College Career at Wake Forest

Smith played college basketball for Wake Forest. He became one of the best players in the school's history for assists. Over his four years, he averaged 9.2 points and 5.1 assists per game.

He is the only player from Wake Forest to score over 1,000 points and make over 600 assists. In his final year, he was named Second-Team All-ACC. This means he was one of the top players in his college league.

Professional Basketball Career

Ish Smith had a long career in the NBA, playing for many different teams.

Starting with the Houston Rockets (2010–2011)

After college, Ish Smith joined the Houston Rockets in 2010. He also spent some time playing for their minor league team, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. This helped him get more playing experience.

Moving to the Memphis Grizzlies (2011)

In 2011, Smith was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies. He played 15 games for them. Later that year, the Grizzlies decided to let him go.

Time with the Golden State Warriors (2011–2012)

The Golden State Warriors picked up Smith in December 2011. He even started a game for them when Stephen Curry was injured. Smith scored 11 points in that game. He was with the Warriors for a short time before being waived.

Playing for the Orlando Magic (2012–2013)

In 2012, Smith signed with the Orlando Magic. He played for them for about a year and a half.

Brief Stop with the Milwaukee Bucks (2013)

Smith was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks in February 2013. He played 16 games for them.

Joining the Phoenix Suns (2013–2014)

In August 2013, Smith moved to the Phoenix Suns. He showed off his passing skills, making a career-high 8 assists in a game. He also scored a career-high 15 points against the San Antonio Spurs.

With the Oklahoma City Thunder (2014–2015)

Smith signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder in November 2014. He helped the team when many players were injured. He stayed with the Thunder for part of the season.

First Time with the Philadelphia 76ers (2015)

In February 2015, Smith joined the Philadelphia 76ers. He quickly became their starting point guard. He set new career highs with 19 points and 9 assists in one game. Later, he scored 23 points twice. His teammates said he made their offense much better.

Short Stay with the New Orleans Pelicans (2015)

Smith signed with the Washington Wizards in September 2015 but was waived. The New Orleans Pelicans then picked him up. He had a great start with the Pelicans, setting a new career high with 11 assists. He later broke that record with 12 assists, and then again with 13 assists.

Returning to Philadelphia (2015–2016)

Smith with the Detroit Pistons in 2016

In December 2015, Smith was traded back to the Philadelphia 76ers. In his first game back, he helped the team get only their second win of the season. He scored a career-high 28 points in January 2016. He also set a new career high with 16 assists in another game.

Years with the Detroit Pistons (2016–2019)

Ish Smith in October 2019

In July 2016, Smith signed with the Detroit Pistons. This was his tenth NBA team! He continued to show his great passing, making 15 assists in a game in 2017. He also scored 25 points in a game in 2018.

First Stint with the Washington Wizards (2019–2021)

Smith joined the Washington Wizards in July 2019. This was his eleventh NBA team. He played for the Wizards for two seasons.

Playing for His Hometown Charlotte Hornets (2021–2022)

In August 2021, Smith signed with the Charlotte Hornets, his hometown team. This made him one of only a few players to play for 12 different NBA teams.

Second Time with the Washington Wizards (2022)

In February 2022, Smith was traded back to the Washington Wizards. This was his second time playing for the team.

Winning a Championship with the Denver Nuggets (2022–2023)

In July 2022, Smith was traded to the Denver Nuggets. When he played his first game for them, it marked his 13th NBA team. This broke the record for the most teams played for in NBA history! In 2023, Ish Smith and the Denver Nuggets won the NBA Finals, making him an NBA champion.

Final Season with the Charlotte Hornets (2023–2024)

Smith signed with the Charlotte Hornets again in October 2023. He played his final NBA season with them before being waived in February 2024.

Life After Playing Basketball

On October 2, 2024, Ish Smith announced his retirement from playing basketball. He immediately started a new job as a professional scout for the Washington Wizards. This means he now helps the Wizards find new talented players.

Career Statistics

NBA

Regular season

Playoffs

College

Personal Life

Ish Smith is the son of Gwen and Larry Smith. He has three siblings: two sisters and one brother. He is a very religious person and studied religion in college. He often reads the Bible and prays before games.

See also

In Spanish: Ish Smith para niños