Steve Smith
Atlanta Hawks sharpshooter and 1998 All-Star who won an NBA title with the Spurs.
via Wikipedia: Steve Smith (basketball) · see source
Steven Delano Smith (born March 31, 1969) is an American former professional basketball player who is a basketball analyst for Turner Sports. After a collegiate career with Michigan State, he played with several teams in his 14-season National Basketball Association career, including the Miami Heat, the Portland Trail Blazers and the San Antonio Spurs, but is perhaps best known for his five-year stint with the Atlanta Hawks which included an All-Star Game appearance in 1998. He won a championship with the Spurs in 2003.
Quick Facts
- Born
- 31 March 1969
- Birthplace
- Highland Park, Michigan, U.S.
- High school
- John J. Pershing (Detroit, Michigan)
- College
- Michigan State (1987–1991)
- Draft round
- 1
- Draft pick
- 5
- Drafted by
- Miami Heat
- Career number
- 3, 8
Lore & Background
Smith was widely regarded as an excellent three-point shooter, and is one of three players to make seven 3-pointers in a half. He joined the USA men's national basketball team in the 1994 FIBA World Championship winning the gold medal. He won another gold medal at the 1999 Tournament of the Americas and an Olympic gold medal with the USA men's national basketball team at the 2000 Summer Olympics with eleven other NBA All-Stars.
Reader's Guide
Smith finished his four-year college career as the all-time leading scorer in Michigan State history, with 2,263 points. He ranks fourth on the school's all-time assists list (with 453) and fifth in rebounds (with 704). For his college career Smith averaged 18.5 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists per contest in 122 games. He was named to the NABC All-American First Team as a senior.
Smith led the Spartans to a Big Ten Championship and Sweet Sixteen appearance in 1990 and hit a game-winning, last-second three-pointer to beat Wisconsin–Green Bay in the first round of the 1991 NCAA Tournament. He was inducted into Michigan State University Athletics Hall of Fame in 2001. In the NBA, Smith was selected fifth overall in the 1991 NBA draft by the Miami Heat. He played for the Heat, Atlanta Hawks, Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs, and New Orleans Hornets.
He averaged a career-high 20.1 points per game in two separate seasons with the Hawks and was named an NBA All-Star in 1998. He won an NBA championship with the Spurs in 2003.
Did You Know?
- Smith made a career high 9 three-pointers in a game on March 14, 1997.
- Smith recorded a career high 5 steals in a win over the Philadelphia 76ers on April 9, 1997.
- Smith's #21 jersey was retired by Michigan State University in 1999.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Steve Smith?
Steve Smith was a shooting guard who played for the Atlanta Hawks from 1994 to 2000, remembered as one of the franchise's most beloved figures.
What major honor did he achieve with Atlanta?
He was named an NBA All-Star in 1998, marking a peak individual achievement while representing the Hawks on the national stage.
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