Randy Smith (basketball)
Encyclopedia
Randolph "Randy" Smith was an American professional basketball
player who set the NBA
record for consecutive games played. From 1972-1982, Smith played in every regular season game, en route to a then-record of 906 straight games (since broken by A. C. Green
). He was born in Bellport, New York
.
, earning All-American honors in three sports: basketball, soccer and track. (At Bellport High School on Long Island, Smith was a standout on the soccer and basketball teams, and set a state high jump record of 6-foot-6.) However, it was on the basketball court that Smith shown brightest, teaming with Durie Burns to lead the Bengals to three straight conference championships, including a trip to the Final Four
of the NCAA Division II Tournament
in 1970, where Smith earned All-Tournament honors.
By national standards, Buffalo State was a small, obscure school, and it was only because of the local connection that Smith was drafted to the NBA at all. In 1971, he was selected by the Buffalo Braves
in the seventh round (104th pick overall) of the NBA Draft
.
, marked by fast breaks and "above the rim" ball movements influenced the offense style of the NBA in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Playing alongside league scoring champion Bob McAdoo, Smith averaged 21.8 points per game in the 1975-76 season, and was named to the All-NBA Second Team.
The highlight of Smith’s career was the 1978 NBA All-Star Game
, where he came off the bench to lead all scorers with 27 points, and was named the game’s Most Valuable Player.
Smith played for seven years for the Braves until the franchise was shifted to the San Diego Clippers
in 1978. That first year with the Clippers, Smith had his fourth consecutive season averaging over 20 points per game.
In 1979, Smith was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers
, where he was named team captain and played for two years. He spent the 1981 season with the New York Knicks
, before moving back to San Diego for another season. Smith retired from professional basketball in 1983 after playing fifteen games for the Atlanta Hawks.
before working at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville
, where he worked in promotion.
On June 4, 2009, Smith died in Norwich, Connecticut
of a heart attack following a workout.
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player who set the NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
record for consecutive games played. From 1972-1982, Smith played in every regular season game, en route to a then-record of 906 straight games (since broken by A. C. Green
A. C. Green
A.C. Green, Jr., is a retired American NBA basketball player who played in more consecutive games than any other player in NBA and ABA history. With 1,192 straight games played, he earned the nickname "Iron Man". He played for the Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat...
). He was born in Bellport, New York
Bellport, New York
Bellport is a village in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 2,363 at the 2000 census. The village is named after the Bell family, early settlers of the area. The public education system in Bellport makes up the South Country Central School District consisting of six...
.
College
Smith was an outstanding all-around athlete at Buffalo State CollegeBuffalo State College
The State University of New York College at Buffalo, referred to as Buffalo State College, often referred to colloquially as Buff State, is a public, liberal arts college in Buffalo, New York, United States and is part of the State University of New York. Buffalo State was founded in 1871 as the...
, earning All-American honors in three sports: basketball, soccer and track. (At Bellport High School on Long Island, Smith was a standout on the soccer and basketball teams, and set a state high jump record of 6-foot-6.) However, it was on the basketball court that Smith shown brightest, teaming with Durie Burns to lead the Bengals to three straight conference championships, including a trip to the Final Four
Final four
Final Four isa sports term that is commonly applied to the last four teams remaining in a playoff tournament, most notably NCAA Division I college basketball tournaments. The term usually refers to the four teams who compete in the two games of a single-elimination tournament's semi-final round...
of the NCAA Division II Tournament
NCAA Men's Division II Basketball Championship
The NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Championship is an annual championship tournament for colleges and universities that are members of NCAA Division II, a grouping of schools in the United States that are generally smaller than the higher-profile institutions of Division I...
in 1970, where Smith earned All-Tournament honors.
By national standards, Buffalo State was a small, obscure school, and it was only because of the local connection that Smith was drafted to the NBA at all. In 1971, he was selected by the Buffalo Braves
Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
in the seventh round (104th pick overall) of the NBA Draft
NBA Draft
The NBA Draft is an annual event in which the thirty teams from the National Basketball Association can draft players who are eligible and wish to join the league. These players are usually amateur U.S. college basketball players, but international players are also eligible to be drafted...
.
NBA
Smith surprised everyone in training camp, and he made the final roster cuts. Despite standing only 6-foot-3, he was assigned to play forward. He averaged 13.4 points per game in his rookie season. Smith continued to improve beyond expectation, drawing on his tremendous speed, quickness and leaping ability. His style of play, along with contemporaries like Julius ErvingJulius Erving
Julius Winfield Erving II , commonly known by the nickname Dr. J, is a retired American basketball player who helped launch a modern style of play that emphasizes leaping and play above the rim....
, marked by fast breaks and "above the rim" ball movements influenced the offense style of the NBA in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Playing alongside league scoring champion Bob McAdoo, Smith averaged 21.8 points per game in the 1975-76 season, and was named to the All-NBA Second Team.
The highlight of Smith’s career was the 1978 NBA All-Star Game
1978 NBA All-Star Game
GAME 28: at Atlanta, Feb. 5, 1978MVP: Randy SmithCoaches: East: Billy Cunningham, West: Jack Ramsay.-Western Conference: -Eastern Conference: -Score by periods: *Halftime— West, 66-57*Third Quarter— West, 100-92...
, where he came off the bench to lead all scorers with 27 points, and was named the game’s Most Valuable Player.
Smith played for seven years for the Braves until the franchise was shifted to the San Diego Clippers
Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
in 1978. That first year with the Clippers, Smith had his fourth consecutive season averaging over 20 points per game.
In 1979, Smith was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
, where he was named team captain and played for two years. He spent the 1981 season with the New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, before moving back to San Diego for another season. Smith retired from professional basketball in 1983 after playing fifteen games for the Atlanta Hawks.
Post-NBA
After retiring as a player, Smith was an N.B.A. league executive whose duties included assisting former players in need, and he was a coach in the Continental Basketball AssociationContinental Basketball Association
The Continental Basketball Association was a professional men's basketball league in the United States, which has been on hiatus since the 2009 season.- History :...
before working at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville
Uncasville, Connecticut
Uncasville is an area in the town of Montville, Connecticut. The area traditionally known as Uncasville is a village in southeastern Montville, at the mouth of the Oxoboxo River...
, where he worked in promotion.
On June 4, 2009, Smith died in Norwich, Connecticut
Norwich, Connecticut
Regular steamship service between New York and Boston helped Norwich to prosper as a shipping center through the early part of the 20th century. During the Civil War, Norwich once again rallied and saw the growth of its textile, armaments, and specialty item manufacturing...
of a heart attack following a workout.