Tyler Smith (basketball, born 2004)

Last updated
Tyler Smith
No. 21–Milwaukee Bucks
Position Power forward
League NBA
Personal information
Born (2004-11-02) November 2, 2004 (age 20)
New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Listed weight224 lb (102 kg)
Career information
High school George Bush (Richmond, Texas)
NBA draft 2024: 2nd round, 33rd overall pick
Selected by the Milwaukee Bucks
Playing career2021–present
Career history
2021–2022 Team Elite
2022–2023 Cold Hearts
2023–2024 NBA G League Ignite
2024–present Milwaukee Bucks
2024–2025 →Wisconsin Herd
Career highlights and awards
Stats at NBA.com  OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
Stats at Basketball Reference   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

Tyler Smith (born November 2, 2004) is an American professional basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He previously played for the NBA G League Ignite of the NBA G League.

Contents

Early life and high school career

Smith was born in New Orleans, Louisiana and relocated with his family to Houston, Texas after they were was displaced by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. [1] Smith attended George Bush High School. [2]

Smith was a five-star recruit and one of the top players in the 2023 class, ranked 8th by ESPN, 15th by 247 and 18th by Rivals before leaving school for OTE according to major recruiting services. [3] He had scholarship offers from Kansas, Baylor, Texas, Florida State, Oklahoma, Memphis, and LSU, among others. [4]

Professional career

Overtime Elite (2021–2023)

Smith opted not to pursue a collegiate career and signed a two-year contract with Overtime Elite (OTE), a new professional league based in Atlanta with players between ages 16 and 20, on August 22, 2021. [3] [5] In his second season, he played for team Cold Hearts and was named second team All-OTE after averaging 15.7 points, eight rebounds, 1.9 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game. [6]

NBA G League Ignite (2023–2024)

Smith signed with the NBA G League Ignite on June 30, 2023. [6] [7]

Milwaukee Bucks / Wisconsin Herd (2024–present)

Smith was selected with the 33rd overall pick by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2024 NBA draft [8] [9] and on July 5, he signed with them. [10]

Smith made his NBA debut on October 23, 2024, in a 124–109 win over the Philadelphia 76ers. [11]

On December 17, Smith won his first NBA honours playing the final minutes in the 2024 NBA Cup final in a 97-81 win against the Oklahoma City Thunder. [12]

Throughout his rookie season, he has been assigned several times to the Wisconsin Herd. [13]

References

  1. ↑ Crain, Nick (October 29, 2023). "Walking Mismatch: G League Ignite's Tyler Smith Blends Fluidity with Size". SI.com . Retrieved November 20, 2023.
  2. ↑ Young, Matt (August 23, 2021). "Bush's Tyler Smith leaving school to sign with Overtime Elite". Houston Chronicle . Retrieved November 16, 2023.
  3. 1 2 Zucker, Joseph (August 22, 2021). "5-Star PF Tyler Smith Skips College, Signs '7-Figure' Overtime Elite Contract". Bleacher Report . Retrieved November 16, 2023.
  4. ↑ Young, Matt (December 26, 2022). "How Bryce Griggs, Tyler Smith are doing at Overtime Elite". Houston Chronicle . Retrieved November 16, 2023.
  5. ↑ Givony, Jonathan (August 22, 2021). "Tyler Smith, No. 8 basketball prospect in 2023 class, signs with Overtime Elite". ESPN.com . Retrieved November 14, 2023.
  6. 1 2 Tipton, Joe (June 30, 2023). "Overtime Elite's Tyler Smith signs with G-League Ignite". On3.com. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
  7. ↑ "Tyler Smith & Izan Almansa Sign With Ignite". NBA.com (Press release). June 30, 2023. Retrieved November 20, 2023.
  8. ↑ Young, Matt (June 27, 2024). "NBA draft: Bucks pick former Houston high school standout Tyler Smith". Houston Chronicle . Retrieved June 27, 2024.
  9. ↑ "Milwaukee Bucks Select Tyler Smith With 33rd Pick In 2024 NBA Draft". www.nba.com. June 27, 2024. Retrieved 2024-07-27.
  10. ↑ "Milwaukee Bucks Sign AJ Johnson and Tyler Smith". NBA.com. July 5, 2024. Retrieved July 5, 2024.
  11. ↑ "Milwaukee Bucks at Philadelphia 76ers Box Score, October 23, 2024". BasketballRef. Retrieved November 1, 2024.
  12. ↑ "In-Season Tournament Final: Milwaukee Bucks at Oklahoma City Thunder Box Score, December 17, 2024". BasketballRef. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
  13. ↑ "2024-2025 Wisconsin Herd Transaction History". RealGM.com. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
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