Joe Smith (basketball) facts for kids
Smith with the Lakers in 2010
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 26, 1975 Norfolk, Virginia, U.S. |
| High school | Matthew Fontaine Maury (Norfolk, Virginia) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) |
| Listed weight | 225 lb (102 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Maryland (1993–1995) |
| NBA Draft | 1995 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1st overall |
| Selected by the Golden State Warriors | |
| Pro career | 1995–2011 |
| Career history | |
| 1995–1998 | Golden State Warriors |
| 1998 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1999–2000 | Minnesota Timberwolves |
| 2000–2001 | Detroit Pistons |
| 2001–2003 | Minnesota Timberwolves |
| 2003–2006 | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 2006 | Denver Nuggets |
| 2006–2007 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 2007–2008 | Chicago Bulls |
| 2008 | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2008–2009 | Oklahoma City Thunder |
| 2009 | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2009–2010 | Atlanta Hawks |
| 2010 | New Jersey Nets |
| 2010–2011 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 11,208 (10.9 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 6,575 (6.4 rpg) |
| Blocks | 868 (0.8 bpg) |
Joseph Leynard Smith (born July 26, 1975) is an American former professional basketball player. He played as a power forward for 12 teams in the National Basketball Association (NBA). His career lasted for 16 years.
Born in Norfolk, Virginia, Smith was named the College Player of the Year in 1995 while playing for Maryland. He was the very first player picked in the 1995 NBA draft by the Golden State Warriors. Smith was also chosen for the 1995–96 All-Rookie team. He moved between many teams during his career. He was one of the most traded players in NBA history.
Smith attended Maury High School before playing college basketball at the University of Maryland.
College Basketball Career
Smith played for the University of Maryland for two seasons. In his second year, he was a star player. He averaged 20.8 points and 10.6 rebounds per game. He was also named to the AP NCAA All-America Team. On March 2, 1995, Smith scored a huge 40 points in a game against Duke. He even made a game-winning shot right at the end.
NBA Career Highlights
Playing for the Golden State Warriors (1995–1998)
In the 1995 NBA draft, the Golden State Warriors chose Joe Smith as the first player overall. He was picked before other great players like Kevin Garnett and Rasheed Wallace. On November 30, 1995, Smith scored 30 points in a game, which was his best as a rookie. On January 20, 1996, he grabbed 20 rebounds in one game.
At the end of his first year, Smith played in all 82 games. He was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team. He finished third in the Rookie of the Year voting. The next season, Smith scored a career-high 18.7 points per game. However, the Warriors did not make it to the playoffs in either of these seasons.
Smith played for the Warriors for two and a half years. He was then traded to the Philadelphia 76ers during the 1997–98 NBA season. He wanted to play closer to the East Coast.
Playing for the Minnesota Timberwolves (1999–2001)
After leaving the Warriors, Smith signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He played well as a small forward alongside star player Kevin Garnett.
Timberwolves Contract Issue
After the 1999–2000 NBA season, it was found that the Timberwolves had broken some rules with Smith's contract. The team's owner and general manager had promised Smith a big contract later if he signed for less money at first. This would help the team sign other players.
NBA Commissioner David Stern punished the Timberwolves for this. The team was fined a lot of money. They also lost several of their future first-round draft picks. Even with these issues, the team still did well. In 2004, the Timberwolves had the best record in their conference. They made it all the way to the Western Conference Finals.
Playing for the Detroit Pistons (2000–2001)
Joe Smith left the Timberwolves for a short time. He signed with the Detroit Pistons for the 2000–01 NBA season. He played as a backup player and performed well. After this season, he returned to the Timberwolves. He played two more seasons there.
Playing for the Milwaukee Bucks (2003–2006)
In 2003, Smith was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks. He played three seasons with the Bucks. During the 2004 NBA Playoffs, Smith played some of his best postseason games. He averaged 13.2 points and 10 rebounds per game. However, his team lost in the first round.
NBA Journeyman Years (2007–2011)
Before the 2006–07 NBA season, Smith was traded to the Denver Nuggets. He only played 11 games there. Then, he was traded again to the Philadelphia 76ers. He played well for the 76ers, averaging over 25 minutes per game.
For the 2007–08 NBA season, Smith signed with the Chicago Bulls. He averaged over 11 points and 5 rebounds per game. Later that season, he was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
On August 13, 2008, Smith was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder. He was traded again to the New Orleans Hornets in February 2009. However, that trade was canceled. On March 1, 2009, the Thunder released him. Two nights later, he rejoined the Cavaliers.
On August 25, 2009, he signed with the Atlanta Hawks. On March 17, 2010, Smith played his 1,000th NBA game. This was a big milestone for him.
On September 10, 2010, Smith signed with the New Jersey Nets. On December 15, 2010, he was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. He made his debut for the Lakers on January 2, 2011.
Coaching Career
After his playing career, Joe Smith started coaching. On June 9, 2015, he helped out at a Phoenix Suns practice. He worked with center Alex Len. Smith also coaches young players in the Atlanta area. He uses a private coaching service called CoachUp.
Music Career
Joe Smith has also recorded a rap album. He uses the name 'Joe Beast' for his music. The album includes songs like "... Kapital" and "I Does This". He recorded the album in Oklahoma City. This was when he was playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
See also
In Spanish: Joe Smith para niños
