. They have two children together. Bryant himself acknowledged that. [34], On the August 26, 2020 edition of Inside the NBA, Smith left the set as a show of solidarity with the six teams that elected to boycott the day's games in response to the shooting of Jacob Blake. He has two children from his first marriage;[38] Kayla, an R&B singer[39] and K.J., a basketball player at the University of North Carolina, his father's alma mater. No one matches or exceeds Jokic's playoff marks in all of the above (25.9, 11.3, 6.4 and 1.0). A post shared by thejetontnt (@kennysmith) on Feb 16, 2020 at 1:40pm PST. Like many of the Hall of Fame inductees, Dave enjoyed a variety of interests and was a man of many talents. Here, you might have found an equal, since Smith won championships and had more assists. In fact, only Barry Bonds (162.8) and turn-of-the-century shortstop Bill Dahlen (75.3) have a higher career WAR total among eligible players not currently enshrined. And throughout his career, Mutombo was one of the most impactful presences in the game, despite averaging just 9.8 points. When was Kenny Smith born? His underrated career spanned three decades. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. 2004 All Star East Kenny Smith. Press J to jump to the feed. If Kenny is inducted as a media member, he won't be a Hall of Famer as a player. The Hall of Fame also awarded the John Bunn Lifetime Achievement award to Tim Nugent, the founder of the National Wheelchair Basketball Association and a lifelong advocate for accessibility and . Shaq also won more championships, with a total of four, and is in the Hall of Fame. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame will enshrine a new class of legends in Springfield, Massachusetts, this summer. [16] Smith finished 17th in voting for the NBA Most Valuable Player Award, just ahead of teammate Hakeem Olajuwon. If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit our Accessibility page. Smith is among Houstons all-time leaders in three-point field goal percentage at .407, along with having the best field goal percentage of NBA guards in 1992-93. Baseball historian Bill James published a list of his top 100 relievers of all time in 2017, and the top 10 is made up of six players who are currently enshrined, three players who are not yet eligible and Wagner. Kenny [20][21], Smith had been gradually losing playing time to Sam Cassell,[22] but he continued to be the Rockets' starting point guard through the 199596 season. Kenny Smith was born on March 8, 1965. Instead, we turn our attention to an integral member of the Big Red Machine in Dave Concepcion, who played his entire 19-year career with the Cincinnati Reds. His true shooting percentage over that stretch was 7.3 points better than the league average. He joined an extremely crowded ballot in 2013, and that no doubt contributed to his one-and-done exit. Points per game grabs much more attention than numbers like rebounds, blocks, steals and defensive-rating swing. Honorable Mentions: Albert Belle, Lance Berkman, Johnny Damon, Jim Edmonds, Dwight Evans, Frank Howard, Fred Lynn, Minnie Minoso, Dale Murphy, Tony Oliva, Reggie Smith, Currently on Ballot: Bobby Abreu, Barry Bonds, Torii Hunter, Andruw Jones, Manny Ramirez, Gary Sheffield, Sammy Sosa. In fact, he could be considered the model for such a transformation. The southpaw broke into the league with the Cincinnati Reds in 1984 at age 23, and he was still pitching in 2005 for the Houston Astros at age 44. Honorable Mentions: Sal Bando, Buddy Bell, Ken Boyer, Ron Cey, Darrell Evans, Robin Ventura. Before those difficulties arrived,Hill averaged 21.6 points, 7.9 rebounds and 6.3 assists. Since neither has ever formally appeared on a Hall of Fame ballot, they have never been officially rejected by the voters and are therefore ineligible for this list, as well. Some never make it in their chosen field. . The Rockets then went 5527 in 199293, losing to the Seattle SuperSonics in the second round of the playoffs in seven games. They may need to have another catch-up year. share. Smith was named a Consensus All-American (1st Team) as senior in 1987, averaging 16.9 points, 6.1 assists per game while helping North Carolina to return to the Elite Eight. Lanier had soft touch on his jumper and hook shot, and even provided some playmaking from the frontcourt. "He always seems to know where that crack in the wall is," former Celtics coach K.C. Kevin Durant, Jayson Tatum top NBA quotes of the week, Inside the most clandestine hall of fame voting process in all of sports, Star-studded Hall of Fame finalists announced, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. . He put together seven straight seasons with at least 30 home runs while playing with the Toronto Blue Jays, San Diego Padres and Atlanta Braves, and the trade that brought him to Atlanta at the 1993 deadline helped bolster a team on the rise. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. NBA 75th Anniversary Team on Thursday, rounding out the top 76 chosen by a panel of voters that included current and former players, coaches, executives and media members. College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com, Scores from any date in BAA/NBA or ABA history, Frequently Asked Questions about the NBA, WNBA and Basketball, Basketball-Reference.com Blog and Articles, Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREE. Smith was born in Queens in 1965. Kenny Rogers, Bobby Bare and the late "Cowboy" Jack Clement-- three men whose influence still ripples across the surface of modern music -- are now members of the Country Music Hall of Fame.. Does anyone know what's going on with Kenny Smith? 4:00 PM Per usual, the party went until the wee hours of the morning at Kenny Smith's annual NBA All-Star jam.. Model and TV personality Nicole Murphy. The league average true shooting percentage over those 10 seasons was 53.8. "[7], Kenny Smith joined junior Michael Jordan and senior Sam Perkins on a North Carolina team that was a pre-season #1 and finished the season ranked #1 with a 283 record. After retiring from playing, Smith became a basketball commentator for the Emmy Award-winning Inside the NBA on TNT. Smith graduated from the University of North Carolina in 1987 with a degree in Industrial Relations. Obviously his playing career alone won't help him make the Hall of Fame. A five-time All-Star, four-time Silver Slugger and three-time Gold Glove winner, Lou Whitaker spent his entire 19-year career with the Detroit Tigers, helping lead the club to a World Series title in 1984. Younger NBA fans might think Vince Carter's strongest argument for top-75 consideration is his longevity. Shoots: ", "He always seems to know where that crack in the wall is," former Celtics coach K.C. In the 198889 season Smith was fifth in the league in minutes played, seventh in minutes per game, and tenth in total assists. The HOF applies to media members as well who've made a significant contribution to basketball. Playing alongside some of the game's prolific Steroid Era sluggers, Fred McGriff was one of the sport's most feared home run hitters and has never been linked to PEDs. He scored 65 runs and stole 34 bases in 95 career playoff games, reaching the postseason with six different organizations. ABC. While it may be a bit difficult to argue his case for induction, he's the best reliever in the "Hall of Very Good" at the moment. After two and a half seasons, he was traded to the Atlanta Hawks, but a half year later, in 1990, he ended up in Houston. From the 199293 to 199495 seasons, Smith averaged 11.7 points and 4.5 assists per game, with a three-point percentage of .425. Kenny Smith is a managing director at Crystal Financial, responsible for sourcing and structuring new transactions from a nationwide network of private equity firms, commercial banks, and other intermediaries. The finalists for the Class of 2022 will be announced during All-Star weekend in February. It even has its own Emmy-nominated . He's 20th in career rebounds, second in career blocks and 44th in career games. Javascript is required for the selection of a player. Outstanding Comedy Series - 2017. Besides Rickey Henderson, Tim Raines and Ichiro Suzuki, it's hard to think of a player who better fit the mold of the prototypical leadoff hitter than Kenny Lofton. A messy exit from the Toronto Raptors cast a bit of a shadow over portions of Carter's career, but his shift from superstar to veteran role player more than made up for that. Discovery Sports to continue as a host on Inside the NBA. The Hall of Fame. He's 69th in career box plus/minus (BPM is a "basketball box score-based metric that estimates a basketball players contribution to the team when that player is on the court," according to Basketball Reference), and that includes over a decade of post-peak years to pull that mark down. #22HoopClass, : https://t.co/QCITOO5LpK pic.twitter.com/ZdklJZa2uR, Basketball HOF (@Hoophall) December 21, 2021. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. The Class of 2023 will be officially enshrined in the Hall of Fame on Saturday, Aug. 12. [1] Through 2016 Smith held the Denver Nuggets franchise record for career three-point percentage (.425), and ranked among the all-time leaders in several categories for the Sacramento Kings and the Houston Rockets. His dunk contest commentary is legendary. The Hall of Fame will also reveal the full Enshrinement schedule at this time. He was second on the team in scoring behind Charles Smith with 14.7 points per game. The five inductees in the Oklahoma Golf Hall of Fame's 2023 class have impacted the sport from the top professional levels to the junior game. Kenneth Smith (born March 8, 1965), nicknamed "the Jet", is an American sports commentator and former professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Read more here. - The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced the team rosters for the 2023 Western Massachusetts Senior High School All-Star Games. One of the best big men of his era, Hall of Famer Walt Bellamy is top 50 in NBA history in career points, rebounds, field goals, free throws, minutes and win shares.. Hill is68th in career BPM,and there are only five players in NBA history who match or exceed all of his career marks in assist percentage, rebounding percentage, steal percentage and true shooting percentage: Larry Bird, LeBron James, Magic Johnson, Nikola Jokic and Ben Simmons. Will Kenny Smith make the HoF? 2020 is the year to correct that. the way he overhyped Blake Griffin's over-the-hood dunk in the slam dunk contest, Kenny won't make it to HOF. Smith is the foundation of the show, which gives cultural influence beyond the court by mixing politics, comedy, unpredictability, emotion, and personality. Known as the "Forgotten Four," Marion Motley, Woody Strode, Kenny Washington and Bill Willis reintegrated pro football in 1946, and have now been selected to share the Pro Football Hall of Fame's . According to Kenny Smith, now an analyst on the "NBA on TNT," after a conversation with Makhtar N'Diaye, who played for . But its more than basketball coverage. Smith played well in the NBA, but he really built his following and celebrity through hard work and audacity. Smith helped to force a game seven against Seattle by scoring 30 points, shooting 46 from three-point range, in a Game 6 victory for Houston. Smith won his first Grand American trophy in the Parent/Child race in 1969 and would repeat again in 1972 and 1988. Kenny Lofton is still on the outside looking in. Smith's career three-point percentage of .399 42nd in NBA history through 2010. Jacksonville . Others dont become famous until after they retire, and not always for the thing they got their start in. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. Dantley may not have had the same kind of wide-ranging statistical contributions as some of those who made the top 75, but the majority of them can't match Dantley's resume as a scorer. Steve Kerr, Hubert Davis and Dell Curry were the only players who matched or exceeded both of his marks for total threes and three-point percentage over that stretch. The live broadcast, originally scheduled to lead into a double-header, was turned into a panel discussion of racial injustice in America after the announcement of the games' postponements. In 1992, he recorded a 43% shot average from downtown. Over the last 10 seasons of his career, Carter's raw numbers understandably tailed off, but his teams were still better with his veteran presence on the floor. [24][25], The Rockets released Smith after the 199596 season, and he signed with the Detroit Pistons. Kenny Smith is 41 years old. Smith works with the hitters and focused. Data Provided By '". Jerry Smith held an NFL scoring record for 27 years. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. They should just induct the whole Inside the NBA cast as a separate thing in the hall of fame. Toronto Raptors superfan Nav Bhatia has been immortalized in basketball history after being inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame's inaugural superfan gallery on May 15, making him one of the first fans to have received this honour. The CFP will expand to 12 teams starting with the 2024 season. 'Whatever seed we are, we're ready': Is there room for Cleveland among the East elite? Or write about sports? The guys are certainly a great team, allowed to be themselves with minimal scripts. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Kenny Smith walked off the TNT "Inside the NBA" set Wednesday night as a show of solidarity with the NBA players not playing games in protest of the Jacob Blake shooting. And though it would've been almost impossible to live up to that billing, a healthy prime would've put him much closer. December 21, 2021 12:31 PM. The Friday night party took place on the lot of Hollywood's Paramount Studios yep, the place where movies and TV shows are made giving the annual party that authentic Hollywood feel. That has only been accomplished at the shortstop position by Derek Jeter, Cal Ripken Jr, Ozzie Smith, and Omar Vizquel. New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame 52nd Annual Induction & Award Ceremonies - Photos taken by Samad Haq & James Brandon . Cleveland great Kenny Lofton only last one year on the Hall of Fame ballot before falling off, but here is why he deserves another shot at Cooperstown. And some, like Kobe Bryant, were stars from the very beginning. In is personal life, Kenny Smith was married to Dawn Reavis with whom he has two children, and since 2006 has been married to Gwendolyn Osborne-Smith, a model, recording artist and an actress who appears on the CBS Network's show "The Price Is . Jones said, per, . Kenny Smith is currently an analyst for TNTs Inside the NBA. He wrapped up his 22-year career with 390 home runs and 1,314 RBI, earning six All-Star selections and winning two Gold Glove Awards. Take a look back at every induction class for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Orel Hershiser was undoubtedly one of the game's elite pitchers in his prime, rattling off a five-year peak that included a 2.69 ERA and 132 ERA+ while he averaged 252 innings per year from 1985 through 1989. He is an NCAA All-Star and an inductee to the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame. NBA.com is part of Warner Media, LLCs Turner Sports & Entertainment Digital Network, *Translations are limited to select pages, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductees, 2021 Class made many stops en route to Springfield, Gratitude, pride mark 2021 Hall of Fame on 9/11, Ex-NBA player Morrow facing assault charges, Durant passes 'Big O' for 13th in career points, NBA Fantasy: Under-the-radar additions for playoffs, Magic's Isaac (torn adductor) out for rest of season, Triple-double win streak shows Jokic dominance, NBA DFS Picks: Yahoo plays and strategy for March 3, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. It might be easier to make a case for Omar Vizquel being the best shortstop not currently in the Hall of Fame than it is to make a case that he's deserving of enshrinement. Enshrinement Speech. It's stunning that he only received 2.9 percent of the vote in his one and only year on the ballot. Breen the longtime voice of the New York Knicks as well as the NBA on ESPN and ABC was one of the honorees Friday night by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, one of the Curt . He also works as an analyst for CBS/Turner during the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. The Pittsburgh Steelers had the unenviable task of replacing a future Hall of Fame quarterback in Ben Roethlisberger, who retired after the 2021 season. [41] Smith is also step-father to Osborne's daughter from a previous marriage. He won two scoring titles, averaged over 30 in each of four straight seasons from 1980-81 to 1983-84 and his 24.3 points per game for his career ranks 18th in NBA history. He was replaced by former Rocket player Rudy Tomjanovich, who went 1614 to close out the season, missing the playoffs by one game. Over eight seasons from 2000-01 to 2007-08, McGrady averaged 26.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 1.7 threes and 1.4 steals. A distinguished group of attorneys who have consistently earned high rankings from their peers in the annual Legal Elite voting. Both legends felt Mullin should have made the list, and it's not hard to see why. Smith played college basketball with the North Carolina Tar Heels, earning consensus first-team All-American honors as a senior in 1987. [1] Smith played sparingly for the playoff-bound Pistons and the Magic, but got the last meaningful playing time of his career with the Nuggets, a team that won only 21 games that season. Smith won NBA championships with the Houston Rockets in 1994 and 1995. In both cases, he trails only Michael Jordan and LeBron James, arguably the two greatest players of all time. He played only nine games with the Pistons before he was waived and signed by the Orlando Magic, who released Smith after only six games. RotoWire considers the best player values in Yahoo fantasy leagues for Friday's 10-game slate. Smith always maintained a good shooting average, was a great leader, and a perfect match for Olajuwon. Hall of Fame CF average career: 67.1 Lofton's career: 64.9 Hall of Fame CF average peak: 42.5 Lofton's peak: 42.0 Hall of Fame CF average JAWS: 54.8 Lofton's JAWS: 53.5. Despite often giving up several inches to his defenders, he always found his way to the rim. Smith attended several of his lectures while in high school, and continued to use Lewis's drills throughout his basketball career, to this day teaching them at his own basketball camps. Smith won NBA championships with the Houston Rockets in 1994 and 1995. He's top 50 all-time in career points, rebounds, blocks and wins over replacement player. It was much more difficult to guard a guy like that.". . I love how he balances out Chuck's crazy claims with intelligent analysis. ABC Studios. If injuries hadn't wiped out most of six prime years for Grant Hill, it's hard to imagine him missing out on the honor of being named to this 75th Anniversary Team. [44], NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, "Famous Stanners: Kenny Smith, Class of 1983", "Jack Curran, a Mentor in Two Sports, Dies at 82", "Kenny Smith recognizes former Bartram High star Bobby Lewis", "Syracuse vs North Carolina, March 21, 1987", "Carolina Basketball: 2015-16 Fact & Records Book", "1986 World Championship for Men. In between, he was an awfully good closer with the Reds and New York Mets, saving at least 30 games eight times and nailing down 424 career saves to rank fifth on the all-time list. Every player named to the top 50 ahead of the league's 50th anniversary reprised a spot. Published Jan. 30, 2014 5:00 p.m. EST. Ernie and Sager will get in for sure. Had he played longer, his case obviously would've been stronger. "It was just a matter of growing into it." From 1999-00 to 2008-09, Carter averaged 23.9 points (and never fell below 20 for a season), 5.4 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.6 threes. Ken Anderson is often listed among the best quarterbacks not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but if he was ever going to make it, it was probably going to be this year, when an expanded Hall of . For example, the deterrence that a rim protector like Dikembe Mutombo generates by merely being on the floor doesn't show up in the box score (at least not explicitly). Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? Theres no denying the former were superstar players. From humble thanks to a sense of accomplishment, the 2021 Class brought its own brand of emotion. "If I put Kevin McHale or Bill Walton on him, he just yawns and says 'Oh, well, another little guy on me.'". The Television Academy database lists prime-time Emmy information. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. His peak is every bit as impressive, though. While he lacks a complete body of work as a result of his career being cut short, his 3.2 WAR per 100 games played compares favorably with all-time great Johnny Bench(3.5), and that speaks volumes to the impact he made. Join our linker program. Do you have a sports website? A nine-time All-Star and five-time Gold Glove winner, he also took home a pair of Silver Slugger Awards and tallied 2,326 hits and a .267 career batting average at a time when shortstop was still a defensive-focused position. Inside the NBA is entering its 34th season and has its own spot in both the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The Pro Football Hall of Fame vote is Saturday, and one player has already been done an injustice. Trades and free agency afforded different, winding journeys for Springfield's latest group of basketball legends. You get in to the Hall for one category. [15] He helped the Rockets to a 5230 record, the best regular season in franchise history at the time. And ultimately, putting the ball in the basket is what the game is all about. Taking a look at the numbers behind Nikola Jokic's historic season for the Nuggets. Kenny Lofton is a 17-year major leaguer whose time on the Hall of Fame ballot lasted only one year. Smith scored 23 points to lead the US to an 8785 win and the Gold Medal over a Soviet Union team that featured Arvydas Sabonis. Teammates Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan and Tony Perez are already enshrined, and Concepcion's case is one worth further consideration from the Veterans Committee. The Hall of Fame's Contemporary Era Committee votes on Albert Belle's induction chances on Sunday. Kenny Chesney: First . During the 14 seasons he played with Tim Duncan, the dynastic San Antonio Spurs were plus-12.2 points per 100 possessions when both were on the floor (compared to plus-7.5 when Duncan played without Manu). It is Texas Southern Universitys distinct pleasure to have a living basketball legend as our guest speaker. . Those numbers (with the exception of true shooting percentage) were all pulled down by his injury-plagued and post-prime years. When you look at this in comparison to Smith, its hard to say if hes better than Smith. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. His off-the-cuff demeanor was well-received by fans, and the addition of Barkley in 2000 and ONeal in 2011 have only added value. Weight: 238. Growing up in public housing in Houston, he was exposed to R&B, pop, and jazz in addition to country. He was selected by Sacramento in the first round of the 1987 NBA draft with the sixth overall pick, and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team with the Kings. [37], Smith has been married twice. He won't because it isn't nearly enough body of work unless he does it for maybe another 15 years and becomes synonymous with his NBA commentary beyond occasional comedic relief. Jack Morris, Ryne Sandberg, Lee Smith, Frank . The full list of nominees from the North American and women's . . [31] Smith covered basketball for the 2001 Goodwill Games,[30] and he occasionally appears on NBA TV as an analyst. Other Grand trophies include the 178 . inQueens,New York He was a model of consistency during the '70s, spending three years in Cleveland before joining the New York Yankees and posting a 114 OPS+ while averaging 23 home runs, 76 RBI and 4.0 WAR in 140 games over the course of his 11 years in pinstripes. His longevity made him one of just 16 pitchers to pitch in 1,000 career games, and his 1,119 appearances actually rank third behind Jesse Orosco (1,252) and Mike Stanton (1,178). [11] Smith helped North Carolina to a record of 11522 from the 198384 to 198687 seasons, including two Elite Eight appearances (1985 and 1987) and a Sweet Sixteen appearance in 1986. Durant, a four-time scoring champion, now sets his sights on Hakeem Olajuwon in 12th place.