Kenny Smith is a former NBA superstar, he was born on March 8, 1965, in Queens, New York City. Smith grew up in LeFrak City, he was a student at Archbishop Molloy High School, where he was coached by Jack Curran. He graduated from the University of North Carolina, where he earned a BA degree in industrial relations in 1987. During his studies at the university, he was also coached by the renowned Dean Smith and was referred to as a “jet” because of his speed and skills.
From 1987 to 1997 Kenny Smith played for the NBA as a member of the Atlanta Hawks, Sacramento Kings, Houston Rockets, Detroit Pistons, Denver Nuggets, and Orlando Magic. During his university studies, he was a two-time NBA champion when he played for Houston Rockets. The NBA underdog Kenny Smith is of African-American descent.
Kenny Smith Career
Kenny Smith played alongside the legendary Michael Jordan as a greenhorn in the North Carolina team in the preseason. He finished the season with a record of about 28-3, with Smith averaging about 9.1 and 5.0 assists in each game. In 1985, he led North Carolina to the Elite Eight, despite losing to the Villanova Wildcats. In 1987, he was named senior to the Consensus All-American (1st team) with an average score of 16.9, 6.1 assists in each game. He assisted North Carolina in their return to the Elite Eight.
Smith led the Tar Heels at 25 in a game in which eleven future NBA players played. They were finally beaten 79-75 by Syracuse University. He was fortunate to be selected to represent the United States of America at the 1986 FIBA World Championship. The team included players like Muggsy Bogues, Steve Kerr, and David Robinson. Smith scored 23 points, which eventually led the USA team to an 87-85 win. They won a gold medal against the Soviet Union team, which included Arvydas Sabonis.
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More On Smith
Kenny Smith was named the Sacramento Kings’ 6,3 170 Ib-point guards with the sixth election of the 1987 NBA draft. He was named to the NBA All-Rookie Team in his first year after averaging 13.8 points and 7.1 assists in every game for the Kings. Handsome Smith began his NBA career with Hall of Famer Bill Russell, who was the King’s head coach in 58 games until his dismissal from the NBA season 87-88. Halfway through the 1989-1990 season, Smith was finally sold to the Atlanta Hawks, and for the first time in his career, he was made a reluctant player. He averaged 7.7 points in each game, while he only started five of the thirty games he played for the Hawks.
Kenny Smith Net Worth
Smith is stupendously rich because he was able to earn a lot of money from his basketball career and as a television analyst. Due to his amazing career as a professional player and analyst, the NBA maestro has an estimated net worth of about $15 million. He receives a monthly income as an analyst and has various financial resources to support his net worth.
Wife, Daughter, Son, Family
Smith is happily married to the seraphic Dawn Reavis, and both had two children before they dissolved their perennial marriage. The children are daughter Kayla and R& B singer and son K.J., a basketball player at the University of North Carolina; his father is an alma mater. A few years after Smith divorced Reavis, he came into contact with Gwendolyn Osborne during the 2004 charity event. They later tied the wedding knot on September 8, 2006.
The couple has children together; son Maloy and daughter London. Smith happens to be the stepfather of Monique, the daughter of Gwendolyn Osborne from a previous marriage. Osborne used to be a model.
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Amazing Facts About Kenny Smith
- Smith was nicknamed “The Jet”
- He graduated from the same high school where the likes of Kevin Joyce, Brian Winters, Kenny Anderson, actor Caruso, former NYC police commissioner Raymond Kelly, and Andrew Cuomo graduated from.
- In the year 1987, he was named the national player of the year.
- He was elected to the board of Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Houston in 1991.
- In the year 1987, Smith was drafted sixth overall by the Sacramento King.
- He was lucky to play for the Houston Rockets for their 1994 and 1995 titles.
- On September 11, 2005, Smith alongside other NBA stars came to the rescue of the victims of Hurricane Katrina by organizing a relief game that will benefit them.
- He got married to model Gwendolyn Osborne in 2006.
Height and Weight
Kenny Smith has a good height, which qualifies him as a basketball player. He’s about 6 feet tall and weighs 175 pounds.
