Otis Smith (basketball)

Otis Fitzgerald Smith (born January 30, 1964) is an American former professional basketball player. He played college basketball for Jacksonville.

Early years

Smith was born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida and was a star athlete at Forrest High School, graduating in 1982.

College

Smith played at Jacksonville University from 1982 to 1986 and earned a degree in marketing and management. He became the only player in school history to tally more than 1,700 points and 900 rebounds in his collegiate career. In 1986, he was named the Sun Belt Conference men's basketball tournament MVP. His jersey was retired at Jacksonville University in 2002.

Professional career

Smith was taken with the 17th pick in the second round of the 1986 NBA draft out of Jacksonville University by the Denver Nuggets. He played one full season and part of a second with the Nuggets before being traded to the Golden State Warriors during the 1987-88 season. He played the remainder of that season and the 1988-89 season with the Warriors. He participated in the 1988 NBA Slam Dunk Contest, where he finished 4th overall, and also in the 1991 contest, where he finished in 7th place.

Otis Smith became a member of the Orlando Magic on June 15, 1989 as one of the 12 players selected in the 1989 NBA Expansion Draft.
He was on the roster for the team's inaugural game in the 1989-90 season, and he played there through the 1991-92 season. He posted career highs of 13.9 points per game and 5.2 rebounds per game in 1991 with the Magic. Smith retired with a knee injury after his sixth season, playing in 375 games, with career averages of 10.5 points per game, 3.8 rebounds per game, and 1.8 assists per game.

After taking a hiatus for three years, Smith came out of player retirement in October, 1996 to sign with the Solna Vikings in the Sweden Professional League. He was named MVP of Swedish League in 1997, but decided to leave on a high note and not play a second year.

After playing

Smith became Director of Community Relations for the Orlando Magic from 1996 to 1998, then was Vice President of Marketing & Community Relations for Boys & Girls Club of Central Florida for a year from 1998 to 1999. However, he missed basketball, and joined the Golden State Warriors Foundation as Executive Director of Community Relations from 1999 to August 2002. During the 2002–2003 season, he worked as Executive Director of Basketball Operations for Golden State. Returning to Florida, he spent two years as Director of Player Development for the Magic, then was promoted to Co-General Manager for 2005–2006 season. He was named General Manager of the Orlando Magic on May 3, 2006. He was then named Executive/President of Orlando Magic He agreed to step down from his job as the President /General Manager of the Orlando Magic on May 21, 2012 after he was informed his close friend & coach Stan Van Gundy would be terminated. Sources say Otis F. Smith stood in loyalty for his friend Stan Van Gundy by walking away from Orlando Magic with not desiring players to run the team but allowing Management to do so. Sources say: This occurrence was in the time frame of Dwight Howard. Otis Smith was Head Coach of Grand Rapids Drive for two years as he desired to help players find what was missing to gain pro status. Smith was then employed in a dual role of Assistant Coach/Head of Player Development with Detroit Pistons. Otis Smith is currently a consultant for the Houston Rockets.

Executive and coaching career

As a former NBA player, Otis Smith has been a coach, Orlando Magic President & General Manager, NBA G-League Head Coach, entrepreneur and philanthropist. In 2006 Otis F. Smith Sr. was named General Manager of the Orlando Magic, soon after was promoted to President. On September 3, 2014, Smith was named the head coach of the Grand Rapids Drive of the NBA Development League, where he remained for two years. However sources state: Smith & Stan Van Gundy had first discussed the position of General Manager within the Pistons organization prior to coaching. As of 2016, Otis Smith was assuming a dual role with Detroit Pistons as assistant coach and director of player development, after joining the franchise as NBA G-League head coach. In 2017, the Sacramento Kings offered Otis Smith a vice president of basketball operations role but he declined by withdrawing his name from consideration to stay and assist his close friend Van Gundy in Detroit. After Van Gundy was relieved of his duties, Otis Smith joined the Houston Rockets on a management consulting basis.

Civic work

Otis Smith became involved with Volunteers for Youth, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and the Boys and Girls Clubs of America when he was in college. In 1989, he founded the Otis F. Smith Foundation (later renamed, the Otis Smith Kids Foundation) which started out conducting free basketball clinics, but grew to include free summer day camps, tutoring, field trips, and health screenings. Otis F. Smith Sr. donated and contributed involvement to the Grand Rapids Community with under privileged children through organizations including Safe-Haven, Family Promise of Grand Rapids & GRCS Public Schools.

Awards and honors

*Given the key to the city of Jacksonville by Mayor Tommy Hazouri in 1988
*In June 1993, he was one of 50 people in the US to receive the FBI Directors Award for community service.
*Official Torch Bearer of the Olympic Flame for the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta (one of 13,267)
*Received the 1996 WTLV-TV ''12 Who Care'' Council's Choice Award
*Received ''Humanitarian of the Year'' award from Jacksonville University on February 22, 2002Florida Times-Union: Feb 22, 2002-Jacksonville Journal

References

External links

Otis Smith Kids Foundation website

{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Otis
1964 births
Living people
20th-century African-American sportspeople
21st-century African-American people
African-American basketball players
African-American sports executives and administrators
American expatriate basketball people in Sweden
American men's basketball players
American sports executives and administrators
Basketball coaches from Florida
Basketball players from Jacksonville, Florida
Denver Nuggets draft picks
Denver Nuggets players
Golden State Warriors players
Grand Rapids Drive coaches
Jacksonville Dolphins men's basketball players
National Basketball Association general managers
Orlando Magic executives
Orlando Magic expansion draft picks
Orlando Magic players
Shooting guards
Small forwards
Sportspeople from Jacksonville, Florida