Kenny Smith facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Kenny Smith

Smith in 2015
Personal information
Born	(1965-03-08) March 8, 1965 (age 60) New York City, U.S.
High school	Archbishop Molloy (Queens, New York)
Listed height	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Listed weight	170 lb (77 kg)
Career information
College	North Carolina (1983–1987)
NBA Draft	1987 / Round: 1 / Pick: 6th overall
Selected by the Sacramento Kings
Pro career	1987–1997
Career history
1987–1990	Sacramento Kings
1990	Atlanta Hawks
1990–1996	Houston Rockets
1996	Detroit Pistons
1996–1997	Orlando Magic
1997	Denver Nuggets
Career highlights and awards
2× NBA champion (1994, 1995) NBA All-Rookie First Team (1988) Consensus first-team All-American (1987) First-team All-ACC (1987) 2× Second-team All-ACC (1985, 1986) No. 30 honored by North Carolina Tar Heels Second-team Parade All-American (1983) McDonald's All-American (1983)
Career NBA statistics
Points	9,397 (12.8 ppg)
Rebounds	1,454 (2.0 rpg)
Assists	4,073 (5.5 apg)
Medals Men's basketball Representing  United States FIBA World Championship Gold 1986 Spain National team

Kenneth Smith, born on March 8, 1965, is an American sports commentator and a former professional basketball player. He played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1987 to 1997. People called him "the Jet" because of his speed. Kenny played for teams like the Sacramento Kings, Atlanta Hawks, Houston Rockets, Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic, and Denver Nuggets. He won two NBA championships in a row with the Houston Rockets.

Before joining the NBA, Smith played college basketball for the North Carolina Tar Heels. He was a top player there. After his playing career, Kenny became a popular basketball commentator for the TV show Inside the NBA on TNT. He also works as an analyst for CBS/Turner during the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament.

Early Life and High School Basketball

Kenny Smith was born in Brooklyn, a part of New York City, and grew up in Queens. He started playing basketball at places like New York's Riverside Church. He went to Archbishop Molloy High School, where he was coached by Jack Curran. Coach Curran holds the record for the most wins by a high school coach in New York.

In 1983, Kenny was named a McDonald's All-American, which means he was one of the best high school players in the country. After high school, he went to the University of North Carolina to play for famous coach Dean Smith. Kenny also gives credit to Bobby Lewis for helping him become a great shooter and ball handler.

College Basketball Career

Kenny Smith joined the North Carolina Tar Heels in 1983. He played alongside future NBA stars like Michael Jordan and Sam Perkins. In his first year, the team was ranked #1 and finished with a great record. They made it to the regional semifinals of the NCAA tournament.

In 1985, Smith helped North Carolina reach the Elite Eight in the NCAA tournament. As a senior in 1987, he was named a Consensus All-American, meaning he was recognized as one of the best college players. He averaged 16.9 points and 6.1 assists per game that year.

During his time at North Carolina, Smith averaged 12.9 points and 6.0 assists per game. He shot very well from the field and the free throw line. He ranks second in school history for total assists and fourth for total steals. Kenny helped his team win many games, with a record of 115 wins and 22 losses over four seasons.

Playing for Team USA

Kenny Smith also played for the United States national team in the 1986 FIBA World Championship. This team included future NBA stars like David Robinson and Muggsy Bogues. Kenny was the second-highest scorer on the team, averaging 14.7 points per game. He scored 23 points in the final game, helping the U.S. win the Gold Medal against the Soviet Union.

Professional Basketball Career

Starting with the Sacramento Kings (1987–1990)

The Sacramento Kings chose Kenny Smith as the sixth overall pick in the 1987 NBA draft. He started playing for the Kings right away. In his first season, he was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team because he played so well. He averaged 13.8 points and 7.1 assists per game.

In his second season, Kenny continued to be a starter, averaging 17.3 points and 7.7 assists. In his third season, he took part in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest. He showed off a unique dunk where he bounced the ball off the backboard and then dunked it backward. He almost won, but lost to Dominique Wilkins.

Moving to Atlanta and Houston (1990–1996)

In the middle of the 1989–90 season, Smith was traded to the Atlanta Hawks. He played as a backup player for the first time in his career. After that season, he was traded to the Houston Rockets.

Smith with the Rockets

In the 1990–91 season, Kenny Smith had a great year with the Rockets. He averaged 17.7 points per game and led the team in assists. He helped the Rockets have their best regular season record at the time.

With star player Hakeem Olajuwon and other strong teammates, the Rockets became a championship team. The Rockets won two NBA championships in a row in 1994 and 1995, with Kenny Smith as their starting point guard.

In the first game of the 1995 NBA Finals against the Orlando Magic, Smith scored 23 points and made seven three-pointers. His seventh three-pointer tied the game and sent it into overtime. This was an NBA record for three-pointers in a Finals game at the time. The Rockets won that game and then swept the Magic, winning the championship in four games.

Kenny continued to play for the Rockets through the 1995–96 season. Even though his playing time went down, he was still a valuable player. He helped the Rockets upset the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the playoffs.

Later Career (1996–1997)

After leaving the Rockets, Kenny Smith played briefly for the Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic, and Denver Nuggets during the 1996–97 season. He helped mentor younger players on the Denver team. He retired from playing professional basketball shortly after.

In his NBA career, Kenny Smith scored 9,397 points and had 4,073 assists. He was known for his excellent three-point shooting.

NBA Career Statistics

Regular season

Playoffs

Broadcasting Career and TV Work

Smith (second from right) with the Inside the NBA crew in 2015

After retiring from playing, Kenny Smith joined Turner Sports in 1998. He became a studio analyst for NBA games. He is now a well-known commentator on Inside the NBA, a popular TV show. On the show, he works with Ernie Johnson Jr., Charles Barkley, and Shaquille O'Neal. The show has won an Sports Emmy Award for being an outstanding sports show.

Kenny also works as an analyst for CBS/Turner during the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. His work in broadcasting has made him even more famous than when he was a player.

In 2010, Kenny was part of the Texas team that won the NBA All-Star Weekend Shooting Stars Competition. In 2020, during a time of social change, Kenny walked off the set of Inside the NBA to show support for NBA teams that boycotted games. This was in response to a shooting incident. In 2022, he signed a new long-term contract to continue hosting Inside the NBA.

Acting Career

Kenny Smith has also tried acting. He played a character named Leon Rich in the movie Hustle (2022). The movie starred Adam Sandler and Juancho Hernangómez.

Personal Life

Kenny Smith has been married twice. He has two children from his first marriage: Kayla and K. J. Kayla is an R&B singer. K. J. played basketball for the University of North Carolina, just like his dad.

Kenny later married English model Gwendolyn Osborne in 2006. They have two children together. Kenny is also a stepfather to Gwendolyn's daughter from a previous marriage. Gwendolyn Osborne was a model on the TV show The Price Is Right. She filed for divorce in 2018.

Images for kids

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  Smith in 2015

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  Smith with the Rockets

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  Smith (second from right) with the Inside the NBA crew in 2015