Mike Smith (basketball, born 1987)

Mike Smith (born July 17, 1987) is an American former professional basketball player who played mostly in the Belgian League. He was an All-American college player at the East Tennessee State University (ETSU).

Mike Smith
Personal information
Born (1987-07-17) July 17, 1987
NationalityAmerican
Listed height6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Listed weight225 lb (102 kg)
Career information
High schoolVan-Far (Vandalia, Missouri)
CollegeEast Tennessee State (2006–2011)
NBA draft2011: undrafted
Playing career2011–2019
PositionShooting guard
Career history
2011–2012Eisbären Bremerhaven
2013–2014Liège
2014–2015Belfius Mons-Hainaut
2015–2017Antwerp Giants
2017–2018Brussels
2018–2019Belfius Mons-Hainaut
Career highlights and awards

College career

Smith came to ETSU after a prolific career at Van-Far High school in Vandalia, Missouri. He scored 2,627 points in his high school career. As a freshman, Smith averaged 11 points per game and was named to the Atlantic Sun Conference All-Freshman team. After productive seasons as a sophomore and junior, Smith suffered a knee injury that limited his to only four games in what would have been his senior year. He was granted a medical redshirt and came back for the 2010–11 season.[1]

Smith experienced his best season as a senior. He averaged 17.9 points and 6.8 rebounds per game and was named first team All-Conference and the Atlantic Sun Player of the Year.[2] At the conclusion of the season, he was also named an honorable mention All-American by the Associated Press. For his ETSU career, Smith scored 1,783 points.[3]

Professional career

Smith was not drafted in the 2011 NBA draft. He instead signed with Eisbären Bremerhaven in Germany's Basketball Bundesliga. He averaged 8.3 points per game in his first professional season and led the team in three point shooting percentage.[4] After being drafted by the Iowa Energy in the 2012 NBA Development League Draft, Smith missed the entire 2012–13 season with a wrist injury suffered in practice. For the 2013–14 season he signed with Liège Basket in Belgium.[5] Smith averaged 16.6 points and 5.1 rebounds per game in the BLB. For the 2014–15 season he signed with Belfius Mons-Hainaut.[6]

Smith was forced to retire in August of 2019 after being diagnosed with a serious heart condition.[7]

Statistics
Legend
  GP Games played  MPG  Minutes per game  FG%  Field goal percentage
 3P%  3-point field goal percentage  FT%  Free throw percentage  RPG  Rebounds per game
 APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game  BPG  Blocks per game
 PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high     Led the league

Regular season
Year Team League GP MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2013–14Liège BasketBLB33030.1.513.395.8475.01.51.30.316.1

References
  1. "Mike Smith ETSU profile". East Tennessee State Buccaneers. Retrieved January 4, 2014.
  2. "ETSU's Smith Headlines All-Conference Teams". Atlantic Sun Conference. March 1, 2011. Archived from the original on January 5, 2014. Retrieved January 4, 2014.
  3. "ETSU's Smith Named Honorable Mention All-American". Atlantic Sun Conference. March 29, 2011. Archived from the original on January 5, 2014. Retrieved January 4, 2014.
  4. "Smith enjoys first year of pro ball". Vandalia Leader. May 9, 2012. Retrieved January 4, 2014.
  5. "Mike Smith Signs Deal To Resume His Basketball Career Overseas". The People's Tribune. June 25, 2013. Archived from the original on January 5, 2014. Retrieved January 4, 2014.
  6. "Mike Smith leaves Liege to sign with Mons". Sportando.com. 2014-05-26. Retrieved 2014-05-28.
  7. Ceulemans, Patrick (August 15, 2019). "Belfius Mons-Hainaut forward Mike Smith has to stop his career due to heart problems". EuroBasket.com.
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