Marcus Smart facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Marcus Smart

Smart with the Boston Celtics in 2021
No. 36 – Los Angeles Lakers
Point guard / shooting guard
Personal information
Born	(1994-03-06) March 6, 1994 (age 31) Flower Mound, Texas, U.S.
High school	Edward S. Marcus (Flower Mound, Texas)
Listed height	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Listed weight	220 lb (100 kg)
Career information
College	Oklahoma State (2012–2014)
NBA Draft	2014 / Round: 1 / Pick: 6th overall
Selected by the Boston Celtics
Pro career	2014–present
League	NBA
Career history
2014–2023	Boston Celtics
2014	→Maine Red Claws
2023–2025	Memphis Grizzlies
2025	Washington Wizards
2025–present	Los Angeles Lakers
Career highlights and awards
NBA Defensive Player of the Year (2022) 3× NBA All-Defensive First Team (2019, 2020, 2022) NBA All-Rookie Second Team (2015) Consensus second-team All-American (2013) Third-team All-American – NABC (2014) Big 12 Player of the Year (2013) 2× First-team All-Big 12 (2013, 2014) USBWA National Freshman of the Year (2013) Big 12 Freshman of the Year (2013) McDonald's All-American (2012) Texas Mr. Basketball (2012)
Medals Men's basketball Representing  United States FIBA World U19 Championship Gold 2013 Czech Republic National team FIBA Americas U18 Championship Gold 2012 Brazil National team

Marcus Osmond Smart (born March 6, 1994) is an American professional basketball player. He plays for the Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Before joining the NBA, he played college basketball for the Oklahoma State Cowboys.

Marcus Smart was chosen as the sixth overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft by the Boston Celtics. He started his career coming off the bench. By 2018, he began starting games regularly. In 2021, he became the main point guard for the Celtics. Smart won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award for the 2021–22 season. He was only the sixth guard in NBA history to win this award. He has also been named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team twice. Smart won the NBA Hustle Award three times (2019, 2022, and 2023). He helped the Celtics reach the NBA Finals in 2022. After playing for Boston for eight seasons, Smart was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies in 2023. He faced injuries there, which led to another trade to the Washington Wizards in 2025. As of July 2025, he plays for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Marcus Smart's Early Life

Marcus Osmond Smart was born on March 6, 1994, in Flower Mound, Texas. His parents were Billy Frank Smart and Camellia Smart. He has three older brothers: Todd, Jeff, and Michael. Marcus went to Edward S. Marcus High School in Flower Mound, Texas. One of his future college teammates, Phillip Forte, also went there.

During his last year of high school, Smart averaged 15.1 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game. His high school team had an amazing record of 115 wins and only 6 losses over three seasons. They also won two state championships. Smart was named a McDonald's All-American, which is a big honor for high school basketball players. He also set a new record for steals for Team USA's Under-18 team. He had 18 steals in five games during the 2012 FIBA Americas U18 Championships in Brazil.

Smart played youth football until the sixth grade. He still enjoys playing tennis in his free time. Experts like ESPN.com considered Smart a top player. In 2012, he was ranked as the number one shooting guard and the tenth best player in the nation.

College Basketball Career

Marcus Smart played college basketball for Oklahoma State. In his first year, he helped the Cowboys achieve a 24–8 record. They finished third in their conference, the Big 12. Smart averaged 15.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game. He also led the Big 12 in steals, with 99 steals in total.

Smart and the Cowboys made it to the NCAA Tournament that year. They were a #5 seed but were eliminated in the first round. On April 17, 2013, Smart announced he would stay at Oklahoma State for his second year. His 99 steals set a new record for a freshman in the Big 12 conference.

On November 19, 2013, Smart scored 39 points in a game, tying an Oklahoma State record. This helped his team win against Memphis. On February 8, 2014, during a game, Smart had a verbal argument with a fan. He was suspended for three games because of this. The fan agreed not to attend any more Texas Tech games that season.

Later that season, Smart was a finalist for the Naismith College Player of the Year award. In the first game of the 2014 NCAA tournament, the Cowboys lost. However, Smart had an amazing game. He finished with 23 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists, and six steals. He was the first player in tournament history to achieve these numbers in one game.

During his two years at Oklahoma State, Smart averaged 16.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game. On April 7, 2014, Smart decided to enter the NBA draft. He gave up his last two years of college eligibility.

Professional Basketball Journey

Boston Celtics (2014–2023)

Starting in the NBA (2014–2016)

Smart in June 2014, after being drafted by the Celtics

On June 26, 2014, the Boston Celtics picked Marcus Smart as the sixth overall player in the 2014 NBA draft. He joined the Celtics for the Summer League and signed with them on July 10. In his fifth NBA game, Smart sprained his left ankle. He missed 10 games but returned on December 3. He also spent a short time with the Maine Red Claws, a team in the NBA Development League.

On March 18, 2015, Smart scored a season-high 25 points. A few days later, he was suspended for one game for hitting an opposing player. On May 18, Smart was named to the NBA's All-Rookie Second Team.

In July 2015, Smart dislocated two fingers on his right hand during a Summer League game. On November 15, he scored a career-high 26 points. He missed 18 games later that year due to a leg injury. On January 15, 2016, Smart achieved his first career triple-double (reaching double digits in three different stats). He had 10 points, 11 assists, and 11 rebounds. He was the first Celtics player to get a triple-double coming off the bench since 1971.

First Eastern Conference Finals (2016–2017)

Smart (right) with teammate Isaiah Thomas in 2017

On November 9, 2016, Smart scored 20 points, a season high at the time. On December 25, he scored 15 points and made a key three-pointer to help the Celtics win. On January 7, 2017, Smart scored a season-high 22 points.

In Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals on May 21, Smart started the game because another player was injured. He made seven three-pointers and scored 27 points. This helped the Celtics beat the Cleveland Cavaliers after being far behind. Even though they won that game, the Celtics lost the series in five games.

Injuries and Defensive Honors (2017–2019)

On November 27, 2017, Smart scored a season-high 23 points, making 6 out of 9 three-pointers. He missed 11 games after cutting his hand on glass in a hotel. On March 16, 2018, Smart was ruled out for the rest of the regular season due to a torn ligament in his right thumb.

He returned for Game 5 of the first round of the playoffs. He helped the Celtics win that game. On July 19, 2018, Smart signed a new four-year contract with the Celtics. He missed the end of the next regular season and the first round of the playoffs due to a muscle tear. He returned during the second round. After the season, Smart was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team for his excellent defense.

Career Highs and Health Challenges (2019–2021)

On January 18, 2020, Smart scored a career-high 37 points. He made 11 three-pointers in that game, breaking the Celtics' record for most three-pointers in a single game. On March 20, Smart tested positive for COVID-19. He was one of the first NBA players to speak publicly about the virus. He was cleared from COVID-19 on March 29, 2020. After the season, Smart was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team again.

On April 28, 2021, Smart was suspended for one game for using threatening language toward a game official.

Defensive Player of the Year and NBA Finals (2021–2023)

Smart in 2021

On August 16, 2021, the Celtics signed Smart to a new four-year contract. In the summer of 2021, the new coach named Smart the team's starting point guard. He kept this role throughout the season and the 2022 playoffs. Many people believe Smart becoming the starting point guard was a big reason for the team's success. As of February 2022, Smart was the player who had been with the Celtics the longest.

Smart was named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year on April 18, 2022. He was the first guard to win this award since 1996. He also received more first-place votes than any other NBA player for the NBA All-Defensive First Team.

On May 19, 2022, in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals, Smart had a playoff career-high 12 assists. He also had 24 points, nine rebounds, and three steals. This helped the Celtics win and tie the series. In Game 7 of the series, Smart had 24 points, nine rebounds, and five assists. This win sent the Celtics to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2010. In Game 3 of the Finals, Smart scored 24 points. The Celtics took a 2–1 lead in the series but eventually lost in six games.

In the 2023 NBA playoffs, Smart averaged 14.9 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game.

Memphis Grizzlies (2023–2025)

On June 22, 2023, Smart was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies as part of a three-team deal. On October 25, 2023, Smart played his first game for the Grizzlies. He scored 17 points. By the 2024 NBA All-Star break, Smart was averaging a career-best 14.4 points per game. However, he only played in 20 games during the 2023–24 season due to injuries.

Washington Wizards (2025)

On February 6, 2025, Smart was traded to the Washington Wizards in another three-team trade. On July 20, 2025, Smart was released by the Wizards after an agreement.

Los Angeles Lakers (2025–present)

On July 22, 2025, Smart signed a two-year contract with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Marcus Smart's Player Style

Marcus Smart can play both the point guard and shooting guard positions. In 2021, he became the Celtics' main point guard. He is 6 feet 3 inches tall with a long arm span. This allows him to guard players in all five positions on the court. He is known for his ability to switch defenders with great skill.

Smart is famous for being a "hustle player." He is known for diving for loose balls and taking charges (standing in front of an opponent to draw a foul). Because of his strong body, quick hands, and smart basketball decisions, many people think Smart is one of the best and most reliable defenders in the NBA. He is sometimes called "the Cobra" because of his intense play.

Even though he isn't always a high-percentage shooter, Smart plays aggressively on both offense and defense. He often guards players who are taller than him. He uses his strength to make them uncomfortable, which often leads to them losing the ball or missing shots. Over his years in the league, Smart's three-point shooting has gotten better. His former teammate, Kemba Walker, once said that Smart brings amazing energy to the game. He said, "He just gets everybody going. Gets us going, gets the crowd going. He just does so many great things. And propels our defense each and every night."

Career Statistics

NBA Regular Season

NBA Playoffs

College Statistics

See also

In Spanish: Marcus Smart para niños