Steve Smith (basketball) facts for kids
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | March 31, 1969 Highland Park, Michigan, U.S. |
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| High school | John J. Pershing (Detroit, Michigan) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 221 lb (100 kg) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College | Michigan State (1987–1991) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NBA Draft | 1991 / Round: 1 / Pick: 5th overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Selected by the Miami Heat | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 1991–2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1991–1994 | Miami Heat | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1994–1999 | Atlanta Hawks | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999–2001 | Portland Trail Blazers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2001–2003 | San Antonio Spurs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003–2004 | New Orleans Hornets | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2005 | Charlotte Bobcats | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005 | Miami Heat | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Career NBA statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Points | 13,430 (14.3 ppg) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rebounds | 3,060 (3.2 rpg) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assists | 2,922 (3.1 apg) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Steven Delano Smith (born March 31, 1969) is an American former professional basketball player. After playing college basketball at Michigan State, he played for 14 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played for teams like the Miami Heat, Portland Trail Blazers, and San Antonio Spurs. He is best known for his five years with the Atlanta Hawks, where he was an All-Star in 1998. Steve Smith won an NBA championship with the Spurs in 2003.
Smith was known as a great three-point shooter. He is one of only three players to make seven 3-pointers in a single quarter of a game. He also played for the USA men's national basketball team, winning gold medals at the 1994 FIBA World Championship, the 1999 Tournament of the Americas, and the 2000 Summer Olympics.
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College Basketball Career
Steve Smith played four years for Michigan State. He became their all-time leading scorer with 2,263 points. He also ranks high in assists and rebounds for the school. During his college career, he averaged 18.5 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game.
In 1990, Smith helped the Spartans win a Big Ten Championship. He also led them to the Sweet Sixteen round of the NCAA Tournament. In 1991, he made a game-winning three-pointer in the NCAA Tournament's first round. Michigan State University added him to their Athletics Hall of Fame in 2001.
NBA Basketball Career
Playing for the Miami Heat
The Miami Heat picked Steve Smith as the fifth overall player in the 1991 NBA draft. The Heat was a new team with other young players like Glen Rice. In his first year, Smith played in 61 games and started 59 of them. He averaged 12 points and 4.6 assists per game.
The Heat made the playoffs but lost to the Chicago Bulls. Smith averaged 16 points in that series. Injuries limited him to 48 games in his second season. However, his scoring average went up to 16 points per game.
The 1993–94 season was Smith's best with the Heat. He averaged 17.3 points and 5.1 assists. The Heat won 42 games and made the playoffs again. They won their first playoff games in team history against the Atlanta Hawks. Smith led the team in scoring during that series. He was traded from the Heat early in the 1994–95 season.
Playing for the Atlanta Hawks
After joining the Atlanta Hawks, Smith averaged 16 points per game. The Hawks lost in the first round of the playoffs that year. In the 1995–96 season, he averaged a career-high 18.1 points. He and Mookie Blaylock formed a strong backcourt. The team won 46 games and beat the Indiana Pacers in the first round. They then faced the Orlando Magic, where Smith scored 35 points in one game.
The next season, Smith averaged 20.1 points, another career high. He made 9 three-pointers in a game against the Seattle SuperSonics. He also had 5 steals in a game against the Philadelphia 76ers. The Hawks won 56 games that season. They beat the Detroit Pistons in the first round of the playoffs. They then lost to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls.
In the 1997–98 season, Smith again averaged 20.1 points. He was named an NBA All-Star and scored 14 points in the game. The Hawks lost in the playoffs to the Charlotte Hornets. The 1998–99 season was shorter due to a league lockout. Smith averaged 18.7 points and helped the Hawks win another playoff series against Detroit. However, they were eliminated by the New York Knicks. After this season, Smith was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers.
Playing for the Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers were a very strong team when Smith joined them. They had stars like Rasheed Wallace and Scottie Pippen. Smith did not need to be the main scorer anymore. He averaged 14.9 points per game. The Trail Blazers had the second-best record in the Western Conference.
In the playoffs, Smith's scoring went up to 17.1 points. They beat the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Utah Jazz. They then faced the Los Angeles Lakers, who were the best team in the league. The Lakers took a 3–1 lead in the series. But the Trail Blazers fought back, winning two games. Smith scored 26 points in Game 6. In Game 7, the Lakers came back to win and went on to win the NBA title.
In the summer of 2000, Smith played for the United States men's national basketball team at the 2000 Summer Olympics. The team won the gold medal.
The 2000–01 season was tougher for the Trail Blazers due to injuries. Smith started fewer games but still averaged 13.6 points. They lost to the Lakers again in the playoffs. After this season, Smith was traded to the San Antonio Spurs.
Playing for the San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs had superstars Tim Duncan and David Robinson. They were trying to win another championship. Smith became their starting shooting guard. He averaged 11.6 points and led the league in three-point shooting at 47 percent. The Spurs won their first playoff round. However, they lost to the defending champion Lakers.
The 2002–03 season was Smith's last with the Spurs. He played fewer games due to injuries and averaged 6.8 points. The Spurs went on a great playoff run. They beat the Phoenix Suns, the Lakers, and the Dallas Mavericks. Then they defeated the New Jersey Nets in six games to win the NBA title. This was Steve Smith's first and only championship. After this, Smith signed with the New Orleans Hornets.
Playing for the New Orleans Hornets and Return to Miami
Smith played 71 games for the New Orleans Hornets. He averaged 5 points per game and shot well from three-point range. The Hornets made the playoffs but lost to the Miami Heat. In the final game of that series, Smith scored 25 points against his old team.
Before the next season, Smith signed with the Charlotte Bobcats. He played 37 games for the new team, averaging 7.9 points. He even made the Bobcats' first-ever three-point shot. Midway through the season, he was traded back to the Miami Heat. He played sparingly for the Heat. They made it to the conference finals but lost to the Detroit Pistons. After this season, Steve Smith announced he was retiring from basketball.
Post-NBA Career
After retiring from playing, Steve Smith became a basketball announcer. He worked for Atlanta Hawks games and as a college basketball analyst for the Big Ten Network. In 2008, he joined NBA TV as an analyst. During the 2011 NBA All-Star Weekend, he was part of the Atlanta team that won the Shooting Stars Competition.
Charitable Work
Steve Smith is known for his charity work. In 1997, he gave $2.5 million to his old college, Michigan State University. This money helped build the Clara Bell Smith Student Athlete Academic Center, named after his mother. This was the largest gift ever given by a professional athlete to their former school at that time.
Smith also works closely with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. He has hosted events to raise money for this children's hospital.
Personal Life
Steve Smith met his wife, Millie, at a charity tennis tournament. They got married in 1996. They have two sons, Brayden and Davis. Smith often coaches his sons in soccer and basketball. He is also the older cousin of NBA point guard Kay Felder.
Smith lives in Atlanta.
See also
In Spanish: Steve Smith para niños
