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 Smith calling a Clippers game in 2011 | |||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born | (1965-05-19)May 19, 1965 (age 60) Rochester, New York, U.S. | ||||||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 225 lb (102 kg) | ||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||
| High school | Los Altos (Hacienda Heights, California) | ||||||||||||||
| College | BYU (1983–1984, 1986–1989) | ||||||||||||||
| NBA draft | 1989: 1st round, 13th overall pick | ||||||||||||||
| Drafted by | Boston Celtics | ||||||||||||||
| Playing career | 1989–1996 | ||||||||||||||
| Position | Small forward | ||||||||||||||
| Number | 11, 4 | ||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||
| 1989–1991 | Boston Celtics | ||||||||||||||
| 1991–1992 | Brescia | ||||||||||||||
| 1992–1993 | Capital Region Pontiacs | ||||||||||||||
| 1993 | Oklahoma City Cavalry | ||||||||||||||
| 1993–1994 | Valencia | ||||||||||||||
| 1994–1995 | Estudiantes | ||||||||||||||
| 1995 | Los Angeles Clippers | ||||||||||||||
| 1996 | Gijón | ||||||||||||||
| Career highlights | |||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
Stats at NBA.com  | |||||||||||||||
| Stats atBasketball Reference | |||||||||||||||
Medals
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Michael John Smith (born May 19, 1965) is an American formerbasketball player and television commentator. During his college years, he played forBrigham Young University, where he was a consensus second teamAll-American. As a professional player, he spent two seasons in theNBA with theBoston Celtics and part of one season with theLos Angeles Clippers. He also spent several years playing inLiga ACB andLega Basket. After retiring from professional basketball, he worked for several years as the television color analyst for theLos Angeles Clippers.
After attendingLos Altos High School inHacienda Heights, California, Smith was a standout basketball player atBrigham Young University. He excelled in bothfootball andvolleyball before concentrating on basketball exclusively. Smith served two years (1984–86) as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Argentina before returning toBYU to finish his collegiate basketball career. He won the WAC Player of the Year in 1988 leading the team with 679 points and 248 rebounds. He finished his collegiate career as BYU's all-time leader in rebounds (922) and second toDanny Ainge in career points (2319).
Smith was selected 13th overall in the first round of the1989 NBA draft by theBoston Celtics. He was one of the oldest players in the draft at 24 years old. At the time the Celtics were a playoff contending team. They were championship contenders a few years prior to the 1989 offseason, however the team was declining due to the age growth and injury of star playerLarry Bird and the roster had been rapidly changing. The team still made the playoffs in both of the seasons that Smith played for them. In the1990 playoffs the Celtics faced theNew York Knicks. While the Celtics put up a tough fight, they eventually fell in the series-deciding game 5 and lost 3–2.
On February 4, 1990, Smith had a career high 8 assists in a 121–89 win to theSacramento Kings.[1]
On February 24, 1990, Smith dropped a career high 24 points in a 115–107 win over theDenver Nuggets.[2]
On March 2, 1990, Smith had a career high 10 rebounds in a 122–110 win over theMiami Heat.[3]
In the following season the Celtics returned to the playoffs and played theIndiana Pacers. The Celtics won the series in 5 games and faced theDetroit Pistons in the second round who beat them 4–2. Smith never made theNBA Playoffs in his career ever again.
On October 30, 1991, Smith was waived by the Celtics.
Smith moved to Italy following his departure from the Celtics. He played the following season with Brescia in Lega Basket.
Smith returned to the US and returned to the NBA briefly. On October 8, 1992, Smith signed with theMilwaukee Bucks. Smith stayed with the team for 18 days, however before the season began he was waived on October 26.
Smith played in theCBA for the upcoming season, first for theCapital Region Pontiacs and later, theOklahoma City Cavalry.
The next season, 1993–94, Smith played forValencia Basket. He continued in Spain, playing the first part of the following season for Estudiantes.
Smith left Estudiantes and the following month on February 20, 1995, he found his way back to the NBA and signed with theLos Angeles Clippers, a club he remained under contract with until September. The 30 year old played 29 games for the1994–1995 season. The Clippers had an atrocious 17–65 season and missed the playoffs.
Smith joined ACB clubGijón Baloncesto for the following season.
Shortly after his tenure ended with the Spanish team, Smith retired from professional basketball. He would later on pursue a career in basketball analysis/commentating.
Smith was the color analyst for theClippers onPrime Ticket/Fox Sports West with longtime Clipper play-by-play announcerRalph Lawler until 2017. On September 28, 2018, theUtah Jazz announced that Smith would be a studio broadcast analyst on select games.[4]
· Basketball Reference
