Charles Daniel Smith (born July 16, 1965) is an American former professional

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...

player who played in the

National Basketball Association The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United S ...

(NBA).

College career

As a college player, Smith was named

Big East Player of the Year The Big East Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year award is given to the men's basketball player in the Big East Conference voted as the top performer by the conference coaches. It was first awarded at the end of the league's inaugural sea ...

in 1988. He was a member of the

University of Pittsburgh The University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) is a public state-related research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The university is composed of 17 undergraduate and graduate schools and colleges at its urban Pittsburgh campus, home to the univers ...

's highly touted five-man recruiting class considered the country's best. Along with power forward

Jerome Lane Jerome Lane Sr. (born December 4, 1966) is an American former professional basketball player who played six seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Lane played college basketball for the University of Pittsburgh, where he was an All ...

, Charles Smith and the Pitt Basketball Team became a major force in

college basketball In United States colleges, top-tier basketball is governed by collegiate athletic bodies including National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), the United States Collegiate Athle ...

, opening the 1987–88 season ranked No. 4 nationally and rising as high as No. 2. during Smith's tenure. He played for the US national team in the

1986 FIBA World Championship The 1986 FIBA World Championship was the 10th FIBA World Championship, the international basketball world championship for men's teams. It was hosted by Spain and was held from 5 to 20 July 1986. The final phase of the tournament was held at the ...

, where he won the gold medal, and at the 1988 Olympics, where he finished with a bronze.

NBA career

After his college career, the 6'10", 245 lb. power forward was selected 3rd overall in the

1988 NBA draft The 1988 NBA draft took place on June 28, 1988, in New York City, New York. The length was reduced from seven rounds in the previous year to three rounds. This was also the first draft for the Charlotte Hornets and Miami Heat, prior to their i ...

by the

Philadelphia 76ers The Philadelphia 76ers, colloquially known as the Sixers, are an American professional basketball team based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The 76ers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eas ...

but immediately traded to the

Los Angeles Clippers The Los Angeles Clippers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Clippers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division in the league's Western Conference. The Clipper ...

. He made the 1988 NBA All-Rookie Team by averaging 16 points and 8 rebounds. During his four years with the Clippers where he was among the team's top scorers and rebounders, he averaged 19 points and 7 rebounds. He was later traded to the

New York Knicks The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the National Basketball Associat ...

with

Doc Rivers Glenn Anton "Doc" Rivers (born October 13, 1961) is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is the head coach for the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). After playing for Marquette Universi ...

and

Bo Kimble Gregory Kevin "Bo" Kimble (born April 9, 1966) is an American former professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Loyola Marymount Lions. As a senior in the 1989–90 season, Ki ...

for

point guard The point guard (PG), also called the one or the point, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position. Point guards are expected to run the team's offense by ...

Mark Jackson Mark A. Jackson (born April 1, 1965) is an American former professional basketball player. A point guard from St. John's University, he played for the New York Knicks, Los Angeles Clippers, Indiana Pacers, Denver Nuggets, Toronto Raptors, Utah ...

. Smith was expected to fill the hole at

small forward The small forward (SF), also known as the three or swingman, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. Small forwards are typically shorter, quicker, and leaner than power forwards and centers but taller, larger, and stronger ...

left by

Xavier McDaniel Xavier Maurice McDaniel (born June 4, 1963), nicknamed "X-Man", is an American retired professional basketball player who, at 6 ft 7 in, played both small forward and power forward. He played in college at Wichita State University. H ...

after the Knicks failed to re-sign him after their successful 1991–92 season, a role that Smith struggled in as he was primarily a power forward. His knees became more problematic playing small forward around this time. As Smith's stats declined, he was traded to the

San Antonio Spurs The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio. The Spurs compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division. The team plays its home ...

for J. R. Reid before retiring in 1998.

Post-retirement

Smith is a Managing Consultant for Silver Blade which extends cash invoices and will advance cash against unbilled transaction in the media industry. Prior, he was Head of Sports & Entertainment for MediaCom, owned by WPP/GroupM. After retiring from the NBA, Smith served as Team Representative for the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) and then as First Vice President. Smith helped create the NBPA Foundation, a non-profit to support retired players in need. Smith went on to serve as Executive Director of the National Basketball Retired Players Association (NBRPA). Smith produced and executed exhibition games featuring over 40 retired NBA players. Smith was founder and CEO of New Media Technology Corp and then Head of New Business Opportunities for Midas Exchange.

NBA career statistics

Regular season

, - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", L.A. Clippers , 71 , , 56 , , 30.4 , , .495 , , .000 , , .725 , , 6.5 , , 1.5 , , 1.0 , , 1.3 , , 16.3 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", L.A. Clippers , 78 , , 76 , , 35.0 , , .520 , , .083 , , .794 , , 6.7 , , 1.5 , , 1.1 , , 1.5 , , 21.1 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", L.A. Clippers , 74 , , 74 , , 36.5 , , .469 , , .000 , , .793 , , 8.2 , , 1.8 , , 1.1 , , 2.0 , , 20.0 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", L.A. Clippers , 49 , , 25 , , 26.7 , , .466 , , .000 , , .785 , , 6.1 , , 1.1 , , 0.8 , , 2.0 , , 14.6 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * ...

, 81 , , 68 , , 26.8 , , .469 , , .000 , , .782 , , 5.3 , , 1.8 , , 0.6 , , 1.2 , , 12.4 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 43 , , 21 , , 25.7 , , .443 , , .500 , , .719 , , 3.8 , , 1.2 , , 0.6 , , 1.0 , , 10.4 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 76 , , 58 , , 28.3 , , .471 , , .226 , , .792 , , 4.3 , , 1.6 , , 0.6 , , 1.3 , , 12.7 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 41 , , 4 , , 21.7 , , .388 , , .133 , , .709 , , 3.9 , , 0.7 , , 0.4 , , 1.2 , , 7.4 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

San Antonio ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , subdivision_t ...

, 32 , , 30 , , 25.8 , , .458 , , – , , .767 , , 6.3 , , 1.1 , , 1.0 , , 0.9 , , 9.6 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 19 , , 7 , , 17.3 , , .405 , , .000 , , .769 , , 3.4 , , 0.7 , , 0.7 , , 1.2 , , 4.6 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 564 , , 419 , , 29.0 , , .475 , , .194 , , .774 , , 5.8 , , 1.4 , , 0.8 , , 1.4 , , 14.4

Playoffs

, - , style="text-align:left;",

1992 File:1992 Events Collage V1.png, From left, clockwise: 1992 Los Angeles riots, Riots break out across Los Angeles, California after the Police brutality, police beating of Rodney King; El Al Flight 1862 crashes into a residential apartment buildi ...

, style="text-align:left;”, L.A. Clippers , 5, , 5, , 29.6, , .393, , –, , .933, , 5.6, , 1.8, , 0.8, , 2.4, , 11.6 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1993 File:1993 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Oslo I Accord is signed in an attempt to resolve the Israeli–Palestinian conflict; The Russian White House is shelled during the 1993 Russian constitutional crisis; Czechoslovakia is peace ...

, style="text-align:left;”,

, 15, , 15, , 25.9, , .471, , –, , .740, , 4.0, , 1.3, , 0.6, , 0.9, , 11.1 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1994 File:1994 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1994 Winter Olympics are held in Lillehammer, Norway; The Kaiser Permanente building after the 1994 Northridge earthquake; A model of the MS Estonia, which sank in the Baltic Sea; Nelson ...

, style="text-align:left;”,

, 25, , 18, , 24.5, , .480, , .000, , .729, , 3.8, , 1.0, , 0.5, , 1.0, , 8.8 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1995 File:1995 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: O.J. Simpson is acquitted of the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman from the year prior in "The Trial of the Century" in the United States; The Great Hanshin earthquake stri ...

, style="text-align:left;”,

, 11, , 11, , 27.5, , .537, , .000, , .567, , 3.8, , 1.2, , 1.2, , 1.5, , 10.8 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1996 File:1996 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: A Centennial Olympic Park bombing, bomb explodes at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, set off by a radical Anti-abortion violence, anti-abortionist; The center fuel tank explodes on TWA Flight 8 ...

, style="text-align:left;”,

, 10, , 8, , 16.5, , .500, , –, , .375, , 3.7, , 1.0, , 0.7, , 1.0, , 5.1 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 66 , , 57 , , 24.5 , , .481 , , .000 , , .705 , , 4.0 , , 1.2 , , 0.7 , , 1.2 , , 9.3

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Charles 1965 births Living people 20th-century African-American sportspeople 21st-century African-American people 1986 FIBA World Championship players African-American basketball players All-American college men's basketball players American men's basketball players American people of Cape Verdean descent Basketball players at the 1988 Summer Olympics Basketball players from Connecticut Competitors at the 1986 Goodwill Games FIBA World Championship-winning players Los Angeles Clippers players McDonald's High School All-Americans Medalists at the 1988 Summer Olympics New York Knicks players Parade High School All-Americans (boys' basketball) Philadelphia 76ers draft picks Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball players Power forwards (basketball) Olympic bronze medalists for the United States in basketball San Antonio Spurs players Sportspeople from Bridgeport, Connecticut United States men's national basketball team players Warren Harding High School alumni