Otis Smith (basketball)

Last updated

Otis Smith
Otis Smith at the Air Canada Centre 2008.jpg
Smith at the Air Canada Centre in April 2008
Personal information
Born (1964-01-30) January 30, 1964 (age 60)
Jacksonville, Florida, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Listed weight210 lb (95 kg)
Career information
High school Nathan Bedford Forrest
(Jacksonville, Florida)
College Jacksonville (1982–1986)
NBA draft 1986: 2nd round, 41st overall pick
Selected by the Denver Nuggets
Playing career1986–1997
Position Shooting guard / small forward
Number22, 18, 32
Coaching career2014–present
Career history
As player:
1986–1987 Denver Nuggets
1987–1989 Golden State Warriors
1989–1992 Orlando Magic
1996–1997 Solna Vikings
As coach:
2014–2016 Grand Rapids Drive
2017–2018 Detroit Pistons (assistant)
Career highlights and awards
Career NBA statistics
Points 3,951 (10.5 ppg)
Rebounds 1,416 (3.8 rpg)
Stats at NBA.com  OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
Stats at Basketball Reference  OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

Otis Fitzgerald Smith (born January 30, 1964) is an American former professional basketball player who played six seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Jacksonville Dolphins.

Contents

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. [1]

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 [2] He agreed to step down from his job as the president and 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. [3] [4] [5] 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 and general manager, NBA G-League Head Coach, entrepreneur and philanthropist. [6] In 2006 Otis F. Smith Sr. was named general manager of the Orlando Magic, soon after was promoted to president. [7] 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. [8] 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. [9] [10] After Van Gundy was relieved of his duties, Otis Smith joined the Houston Rockets on a management consulting basis. [6]

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

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orlando Magic</span> National Basketball Association team in Orlando, Florida

The Orlando Magic are an American professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. The Magic compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference. The franchise was established in 1989 as an expansion franchise, and such notable NBA stars as Shaquille O'Neal, Penny Hardaway, Grant Hill, Tracy McGrady, and Dwight Howard have played for the club throughout its history. As of 2024, the franchise has played in the NBA playoffs 17 times in 35 seasons, and twice went to the NBA Finals, in 1995 and 2009, losing to the Houston Rockets and the Los Angeles Lakers, respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jameer Nelson</span> American basketball player (born 1982)

Jameer Lamar Nelson Sr. is an American former professional basketball player who serves as general manager for the Delaware Blue Coats of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for the Saint Joseph's Hawks, where he was named national college player of the year in 2004. Drafted 20th overall in the 2004 NBA draft, Nelson spent the first ten years of his NBA career with the Orlando Magic. In 2009, he was named an All-Star and made an appearance in the NBA Finals with the Magic. He has also played for the Dallas Mavericks, Boston Celtics, Denver Nuggets, New Orleans Pelicans and Detroit Pistons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pat Garrity</span> American basketball player (born 1976)

Patrick Joseph Garrity is an American former professional basketball player who played from 1998 to 2008 in the National Basketball Association (NBA). A power forward who was known as a three-point marksman, Garrity played for the Phoenix Suns and the Orlando Magic. Garrity served as an assistant general manager of the Detroit Pistons from 2016 to 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeff Van Gundy</span> American basketball coach and commentator

Jeffrey William Van Gundy is an American basketball coach and former commentator who is currently the top assistant coach for the Los Angeles Clippers. He served as head coach of the New York Knicks and the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). During his tenure on the Knicks, he led the team to the 1999 NBA Finals, where they ultimately lost to the San Antonio Spurs. Van Gundy won an NBA championship in 2024 with the Boston Celtics where he served as a senior consultant in the front office.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stan Van Gundy</span> American basketball coach and analyst

Stanley Alan Van Gundy is an American former basketball coach who is a television commentator for NBA on TNT and College Basketball on CBS. Prior to TNT, he was most recently the head coach for the New Orleans Pelicans of the NBA. He also served as the head coach and president of basketball operations for the Detroit Pistons from 2014 to 2018. From 2003 to 2005, he was the head coach of the Miami Heat but resigned in 2005 mid-season, returning the job over to Pat Riley. Van Gundy then coached the Orlando Magic for five seasons from 2007 to 2012, leading them to the 2009 NBA Finals. He is the older brother of former New York Knicks and Houston Rockets head coach Jeff Van Gundy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jason Williams (basketball, born 1975)</span> American basketball player

Jason Chandler Williams is an American former professional basketball player who was a point guard in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for twelve seasons from 1998 to 2011. In 2006, Williams won his first and only NBA championship as the starting point guard for the Miami Heat. Nicknamed "White Chocolate", Williams is known for his unorthodox streetball style of playing throughout his career in the NBA.

Rex Andrew Walters Sr. is an American professional basketball coach and former player who last served as an assistant coach for the Charlotte Hornets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Previously, he was the associate head coach at Wake Forest University under Danny Manning. Prior to Wake Forest, he spent time at Nevada under Eric Musselman. He has made head coaching stops with the Grand Rapids Drive, the University of San Francisco and Florida Atlantic University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dee Brown (basketball, born 1968)</span> American basketball player

DeCovan Kadell "Dee" Brown is an American retired professional basketball player who spent thirty years in the NBA including twelve seasons as a player (1990–2002) in the National Basketball Association (NBA), playing for the Boston Celtics, Toronto Raptors, and Orlando Magic, and as an executive with the Orlando Magic, Detroit Pistons, Sacramento Kings, and as Vice President of Holistic Player Performance with the Los Angeles Clippers. His daughter Lexie Brown plays for the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brendan Malone</span> American basketball coach (1942–2023)

Brendan Thomas Malone was an American professional basketball coach in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2006 NBA Finals</span> 2006 basketball championship series

The 2006 NBA Finals was the championship series of the National Basketball Association's (NBA) 2005–06 season, and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. The Dallas Mavericks were favored to win the championship over the Miami Heat. Despite these odds, the Heat won the title in six games over the Mavericks, becoming the third team—after the 1969 Celtics, the 1977 Trail Blazers and later the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers and 2021 Milwaukee Bucks—to win a championship after trailing 0–2 in the series. Dwyane Wade of the Heat was named Most Valuable Player of the series.

Michael Edward Curry is an American professional basketball coach and former player. He was most recently an assistant coach for the Vanderbilt Commodores. Curry played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1993 to 2005. He later served as head coach of the Detroit Pistons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Beyer</span> American basketball coach

Robert C. Beyer is an American professional basketball coach who is as an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

The 2007–08 Orlando Magic season was their 19th season in the National Basketball Association. Led by 22-year-old center Dwight Howard, the Magic finished the season with a 52–30 record, finishing first-place in the Southeast Division and advancing to the Eastern Conference Semi-finals where they were eliminated by the Detroit Pistons in 5 games. The Magic had the fourth best team offensive rating in the NBA.

The 2009–10 Orlando Magic season was the 21st season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Magic were coming off of an NBA Finals defeat to the Los Angeles Lakers in five games. The season was significant as it signaled the conclusion of the Magic's tenure at the Amway Arena as their designated home venuea. The Magic would replicate their previous season's performance and boasted the NBA's fourth highest offensive rating among all teams.

The 2011–12 Orlando Magic season was the 23rd season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The team finished in 6th place in the Eastern Conference with a 37–29 record in a regular season shortened by the lockout and an offseason where trade rumours that included starting center Dwight Howard abounded. After the Magic's playoff loss against the Indiana Pacers in the first round of the playoffs in five games, the Orlando franchise parted ways with head coach Stan Van Gundy and general manager Otis Smith. The Amway Center, the Magic's home court, was the venue of the 2012 NBA All-Star Game.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Justin Harper (basketball)</span> American basketball player

Justin Harper is an American professional basketball player for Fighting Eagles Nagoya of the Japanese B. League. Harper played professionally in the NBA for various teams, including the Orlando Magic, Detroit Pistons, and Philadelphia 76ers. He played college basketball for the University of Richmond.

The 1995–96 NBA season was the Pistons' 48th season in the National Basketball Association, and 39th season in the city of Detroit. During the off-season, the Pistons hired Doug Collins as head coach, while acquiring Otis Thorpe from the Portland Trail Blazers; Thorpe won a championship as a member of the Houston Rockets in the 1994 NBA Finals. Under Collins, the Pistons, who were now led by second-year star Grant Hill and Allan Houston, struggled with a 5–9 record in November, but played .500 basketball for the remainder of the season, holding a 23–22 record at the All-Star break. At midseason, the team signed free agent Michael Curry, who was previously released by the Washington Bullets. The Pistons reemerged as a playoff contender finishing fifth in the Central Division with a 46–36 record, and returned to the playoffs after a three-year absence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Motor City Cruise</span> American minor league basketball team of the NBA G League

The Motor City Cruise are an American professional basketball team in the NBA G League based in Detroit, and are affiliated with the Detroit Pistons. The Cruise play their home games at Wayne State Fieldhouse. The franchise began play as the Long Beach Jam in 2003 under the revived American Basketball Association and moved to Bakersfield in the D-League in 2006 as the Bakersfield Jam. After ten years in Bakersfield, California, the franchise was moved to Prescott Valley, Arizona, in 2016 by the Phoenix Suns and were subsequently renamed the Northern Arizona Suns. In 2021, the team relocated to Detroit after being purchased by the Pistons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heat–Magic rivalry</span> National Basketball Association cross-state rivalry in Florida

The Heat–Magic rivalry is an National Basketball Association (NBA) rivalry between the Miami Heat and the Orlando Magic. It is also known as the Sunshine State rivalry since both the Heat and the Magic are based in the state of Florida, similar to the Lakers–Clippers rivalry.

References

  1. ↑ "Otis Smith Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more". Basketball-Reference.com.
  2. ↑ "Florida Times-Union: October 10, 2006-Q&A: Otis Smith: Magic's GM ready for next step". Archived from the original on August 12, 2011. Retrieved May 5, 2008.
  3. ↑ "Stan Van Gundy explains infamous press conference with Dwight Howard". CBSSports.com. September 11, 2012. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
  4. ↑ "Dwight Howard says awkward Van Gundy press conference was 'worst day of my life'". For The Win. June 15, 2018. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
  5. ↑ "Van Gundy Relieved of Duties; Smith and Magic Mutually Agree To Part Ways". www.nba.com.
  6. 1 2 "Otis Smith & Co". Archived from the original on March 28, 2022.
  7. ↑ "Magic promote Otis Smith to general manager". ESPN.com. May 3, 2006. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
  8. ↑ "Detroit Pistons Name Otis Smith as Head Coach of the Grand Rapids Drive". www.nba.com.
  9. ↑ Xypteras, Tony (July 26, 2017). "The Kings have interviewed former Magic GM Otis Smith for front office position". Sactown Royalty. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
  10. ↑ @BA_Turner (July 28, 2017). "Otis Smith has withdrawn his name as consideration for VP of basketball operation with Sacramento Kings. per source" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  11. ↑ Florida Times-Union: Feb 22, 2002-Jacksonville Journal
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.