Otis Smith (basketball) facts for kids
Smith at the Air Canada Centre in 2008
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 30, 1964 Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. |
| High school | Nathan Bedford Forrest (Jacksonville, Florida) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
| Listed weight | 210 lb (95 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Jacksonville (1982–1986) |
| NBA Draft | 1986 / Round: 2 / Pick: 41st overall |
| Selected by the Denver Nuggets | |
| Pro career | 1986–1997 |
| Coaching career | 2014–present |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 1986–1987 | Denver Nuggets |
| 1987–1989 | Golden State Warriors |
| 1989–1992 | Orlando Magic |
| 1996–1997 | Solna Vikings |
| As coach: | |
| 2014–2016 | Grand Rapids Drive |
| 2017–2018 | Detroit Pistons (assistant) |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 3,951 (10.5 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 1,416 (3.8 rpg) |
Otis Fitzgerald Smith was born on January 30, 1964. He is an American who used to play professional basketball. He played for six seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Before turning pro, he played college basketball for the Jacksonville Dolphins.
Contents
About Otis Smith
Otis Smith grew up in Jacksonville, Florida. He was a great athlete at Forrest High School. He finished high school in 1982. Otis Smith is married to Shanta "Tae" Smith. They have four children: Chris, Otis II, Kamara, and Alex.
College Basketball Career
Smith played basketball at Jacksonville University from 1982 to 1986. He studied marketing and management there. He is the only player in his school's history to score over 1,700 points. He also grabbed more than 900 rebounds during his college career.
In 1986, he was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the Sun Belt Conference men's basketball tournament. His jersey number, 32, was retired by Jacksonville University in 2002. This means no other player at the school can wear that number.
Playing in the NBA
The Denver Nuggets picked Otis Smith in the 1986 NBA draft. He was the 17th pick in the second round. He played for the Nuggets for about a season and a half. Then, he was traded to the Golden State Warriors during the 1987-88 season. He stayed with the Warriors for the rest of that season and the next.
Otis Smith also showed off his skills in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest. He finished 4th in 1988 and 7th in 1991.
Joining the Orlando Magic
On June 15, 1989, Otis Smith became part of the Orlando Magic. He was one of 12 players chosen in the 1989 NBA expansion draft. This draft helps new teams get players. He was on the team for their very first game in the 1989-90 season. He played for the Magic until the 1991-92 season.
In 1991, he had his best season with the Magic. He averaged 13.9 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. After six seasons, Smith retired from playing due to a knee injury. He played in 375 games in his career. He averaged 10.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game.
Playing in Sweden
After three years away from basketball, Smith returned to play in October 1996. He signed with the Solna Vikings in the Sweden Professional League. He was named the MVP of the Swedish League in 1997. After this success, he decided to stop playing again.
After His Playing Career
After retiring as a player, Otis Smith stayed involved with basketball. He worked for the Orlando Magic as Director of Community Relations from 1996 to 1998. Then, he worked for the Boys & Girls Club of Central Florida for a year.
In 1999, he joined the Golden State Warriors Foundation. He was the executive director of Community Relations until 2002. For the 2002–2003 season, he became the executive director of basketball operations for the Warriors.
Returning to the Orlando Magic
Smith returned to the Orlando Magic as director of player development for two years. He then became Co-General Manager for the 2005–2006 season. On May 3, 2006, he was named the general manager of the Orlando Magic. He was later promoted to Executive/President of the team.
He decided to step down from his role with the Orlando Magic on May 21, 2012. This happened after his close friend and coach, Stan Van Gundy, was let go. People said Otis Smith showed loyalty to his friend by leaving the team.
Coaching and Consulting Roles
Otis Smith became the head coach of the Grand Rapids Drive in the NBA Development League in 2014. He coached there for two years. In 2016, he took on a dual role with the Detroit Pistons. He was an assistant coach and director of player development.
In 2017, the Sacramento Kings offered him a role as vice president of basketball operations. However, he chose to stay with his friend Van Gundy in Detroit. After Van Gundy left the Pistons, Otis Smith started working as a management consultant for the Houston Rockets from 2020 to 2023. As of 2023, he is a management consultant for another NBA team.
Community Work
Otis Smith has always been involved in helping his community. In college, he worked with Volunteers for Youth, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and the Boys and Girls Clubs of America.
In 1989, he started the Otis F. Smith Foundation. It was later renamed the Otis Smith Kids Foundation. This foundation began by offering free basketball clinics. It grew to include free summer camps, tutoring, field trips, and health check-ups for kids. Otis Smith also helped underprivileged children in the Grand Rapids Community. He worked with organizations like Safe-Haven, Family Promise of Grand Rapids, and GRCS Public Schools.
Awards and Special Recognitions
Otis Smith has received many awards for his achievements and community service:
- In 1988, the Mayor of Jacksonville, Tommy Hazouri, gave him the key to the city.
- In June 1993, he was one of 50 people in the U.S. to receive the FBI Directors Award for community service.
- He was an Official Torch Bearer for the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. He was one of 13,267 people to carry the Olympic Flame.
- He received the 1996 WTLV-TV 12 Who Care Council's Choice Award.
- On February 22, 2002, he received the Humanitarian of the Year award from Jacksonville University.
See also
In Spanish: Otis Smith para niños
