Russ Smith (basketball) facts for kids
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Smith in 2013
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| No. 3 – Pallacanestro Nardò | |
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| Point guard | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | April 19, 1991 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| High school |
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| Listed height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
| Listed weight | 166 lb (75 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Louisville (2010–2014) |
| NBA Draft | 2014 / Round: 2 / Pick: 47th overall |
| Selected by the Philadelphia 76ers | |
| Pro career | 2014–present |
| League | Serie A2 |
| Career history | |
| 2014–2015 | New Orleans Pelicans |
| 2014–2015 | →Fort Wayne Mad Ants |
| 2015 | Memphis Grizzlies |
| 2015 | →Iowa Energy |
| 2016 | Delaware 87ers |
| 2016 | Galatasaray Odeabank |
| 2017 | Delaware 87ers |
| 2017 | Luoyang Zhonghe |
| 2017–2018 | Fujian Sturgeons |
| 2019 | Guizhou White Tigers |
| 2020 | Cariduros de Fajardo |
| 2021 | Sichuan Blue Whales |
| 2021–2022 | Fort Wayne Mad Ants |
| 2022 | Hapoel Be'er Sheva |
| 2022–2024 | Pallacanestro Nardò |
| 2024–2025 | Tabiat Eslamshahr |
| 2025–present | Pallacanestro Nardò |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Russ Antoin Smith (born April 19, 1991) is an American professional basketball player. He currently plays for Pallacanestro Nardò in Italy. Russ is known for his exciting style of play. He was a star player for the Louisville Cardinals in college. He helped them win the 2013 NCAA championship. He was also named a top college player, called a consensus first-team All-American. Russ holds the NBA G League record for most points in a single game, scoring 65 points.
Contents
Russ Smith's Early Basketball Journey
High School Achievements
Russ Smith was born in New York City. He played basketball at Archbishop Molloy High School in Queens, New York. He was an amazing scorer, leading the New York City Catholic league in points. As a junior, he averaged 24.5 points per game. In his senior year, he averaged 29.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 3.2 assists.
He once scored 47 points in a game, doing it twice! Russ was recognized as one of the best high school players in New York. He also played in the 2009 Jordan Brand Classic Regional Game. There, he scored 27 points and was named co-MVP. After high school, he spent a year at South Kent School before going to college.
College Basketball Career
Joining the Louisville Cardinals
Russ Smith joined the Louisville Cardinals in 2010. At first, Louisville coaches didn't notice him much. But assistant coaches saw him play and realized he was a perfect fit. Russ liked Louisville so much that he wanted to commit even before he was offered a scholarship!
Freshman Year Challenges
Russ's first year at Louisville was tough. He had several injuries, like a broken foot and a concussion. Because of this, he didn't play much in games. He felt so down that he almost left the team. But during a game against West Virginia, his coach told him to play hard. Russ played well, helping his team win. This made him decide to stay. The Cardinals reached the championship game of the 2011 Big East tournament. They also made it to the 2011 NCAA tournament.
Sophomore Year: "Russdiculous"
In his second year (2011–12), Russ became a key player. Even though he didn't start every game, he was often the second-highest scorer. His coach, Rick Pitino, gave him the famous nickname "Russdiculous" in January 2012. Russ set a school record that year with 87 steals in a season.
Louisville won the 2012 Big East tournament championship. They then made it to the Final Four in the 2012 NCAA tournament. Russ scored 19 points in a big win against Florida. The team finished the season with an impressive 30–10 record.
Junior Year: Winning a National Championship
The 2012–13 season was a huge one for Russ and the Cardinals. They were picked to win their conference. They ended up sharing the Big East regular season championship. Before the 2013 Big East tournament, Russ learned that his high school coach, Jack Curran, had passed away. Russ played with extra heart, scoring 28 points in one game. He said, "Today was definitely Coach Curran Day for me." Louisville went on to win the Big East tournament championship.
Louisville was chosen as the top team for the 2013 NCAA tournament. Russ played incredibly well. In one game, fans started chanting "RussArena" because of his amazing performance. He tied his career high with 31 points in a Sweet Sixteen game. In the regional final against Duke, Russ scored 23 points. During this game, his teammate Kevin Ware suffered a serious leg injury. Kevin told his teammates to "Just go win this game for me." The team was inspired and played even harder, winning the game. Russ was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Midwest Region.
Louisville continued their amazing run, winning the national championship against Michigan. Russ averaged 18.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 2.1 steals that season. The team finished with a fantastic 35–5 record. (Note: This championship was later vacated due to rules violations.)
Senior Year and College Honors
Russ decided to stay for his senior year (2013–14) to improve his chances for the NBA draft. He was named one of the top 10 players for the Naismith College Player of the Year award. Louisville had another strong season, finishing with a 31–6 record. Russ ended his college career in the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA tournament.
He was selected for the Associated Press First Team All-American list. On January 22, 2022, Louisville honored Russ by retiring his No. 2 jersey. This means no other Louisville player will wear that number.
College Awards and Recognition
- 2013 NCAA Midwest Regional Most Outstanding Player
- 2013 Big East All-Tournament Team
- 2013 Big East All-Conference First Team
- 2013 Sporting News All-American Third Team
- 2014 John Wooden Award All-American team
Professional Basketball Career
Starting in the NBA
In 2014, Russ Smith was picked by the Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA draft. His rights were then traded to the New Orleans Pelicans. During his time with the Pelicans, he also played for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants in the NBA Development League (now called the G League).
In January 2015, Russ was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies. He also spent time with the Iowa Energy in the D-League. He made his NBA playoff debut in May 2015.
Record-Breaking in the G League
In 2016, Russ joined the Delaware 87ers in the NBA Development League. He quickly showed his scoring power. In one game, he scored an amazing 37 points coming off the bench. He was named the NBA D-League Performer of the Week.
On March 18, he achieved his first triple-double, with 20 points, 13 rebounds, and 16 assists. Just five days later, on March 23, 2016, Russ set a new D-League scoring record. He scored an incredible 65 points in a single game! This record still stands today. He also holds the record for scoring 105 points in two consecutive games.
Playing Around the World
After his time in the G League, Russ played for teams in other countries. In 2016, he signed with Galatasaray Odeabank in Turkey. He also played in China for teams like Luoyang Zhonghe and the Fujian Sturgeons. In China, he continued his high-scoring ways. In one game, he scored a career-high 81 points! He averaged an amazing 61.2 points per game in the 2017 NBL (China) season.
He returned to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants in the NBA G League in 2021. In his first game back, he scored 43 points. In 2022, he played for Hapoel Be'er Sheva in Israel. He then joined Tabiat Eslamshahr in Iran in 2024. As of 2025, he is playing for Pallacanestro Nardò in Italy.
The Basketball Tournament
Russ has also played in The Basketball Tournament (TBT) with other Louisville alumni. He led "The Ville" team in scoring in both the 2023 and 2024 tournaments.
Career Statistics
NBA Regular Season
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014–15 | New Orleans | 6 | 0 | 4.8 | .200 | .167 | — | .5 | .3 | .0 | .0 | .8 |
| 2014–15 | Memphis | 6 | 0 | 6.0 | .400 | .200 | .923 | .5 | 1.0 | .5 | .0 | 4.2 |
| 2015–16 | Memphis | 15 | 0 | 4.4 | .318 | .200 | .615 | .6 | .7 | .3 | .1 | 1.5 |
| Career | 5 | 0 | 5.4 | .250 | .000 | 1.000 | .2 | .2 | .2 | .0 | 1.2 | |
NBA Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Memphis | 2 | 0 | 1.5 | — | — | — | .0 | 1.0 | .0 | .0 | .8 |
| Career | 2 | 0 | 1.5 | — | — | — | .0 | 1.0 | .0 | .0 | .8 | |
See also
In Spanish: Russ Smith para niños
