Chris Smith (basketball, born 1939)
Chris Smith | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 31, 1939 United States |
| Occupation | Collegiate basketball player (retired) |
| Years active | 1957–1961 |
| Known for | Virginia Tech Hokies basketball player, NCAA rebounding records |
Chris Smith (born March 31, 1939) is a retired American collegiate basketball athlete who competed for the Virginia Tech Hokies between 1957 and 1961. Standing 6 feet 6 inches tall and playing the center position, Smith was nicknamed "Moose" during his time at Charleston High School in West Virginia. Within the competitive basketball environment of the Kanawha Valley, sportswriter Bill Brill from Roanoke dubbed him "The Human Pogo Stick" due to his remarkable jumping ability.
Declining the 1961 NBA draft
Selected as the fourteenth overall pick in the 1961 NBA draft by the Syracuse Nationals of the NBA, Smith achieved the highest draft position ever attained by a Virginia Tech player. Nevertheless, given the modest financial rewards associated with professional basketball at that time, he notified NBA franchises of his intention not to pursue a professional career and asked to be excluded from consideration in the draft. Consequently, Smith did not participate in Syracuse’s training camp.
Achievements and records
In 1982, Smith was honored as a founding inductee into Virginia Tech's Hall of Fame, distinguished as the sole basketball player among that inaugural class.
Smith maintains several rebounding benchmarks at Virginia Tech: single-game rebounds (36), total rebounds in a season (495), career rebounds (1508), highest season average per game (20.4), and career average rebounds per game (17.1). He holds the record for the best career rebound average in NCAA Division I within Virginia. According to the 2008 NCAA Men's Basketball Records Book, he ranks 26th nationally for career rebound average and 24th for total rebounds over a Division I career. His career rebound average of 17.1 per game remains unmatched in the state.
Moreover, Smith established Southern Conference tournament records with 28 rebounds in one game and an aggregate of 71 rebounds across three games—records that have stood for more than five decades.
Recognition and media coverage
The Virginia Tech basketball program during the 2009–10 season recognized Smith as "the greatest basketball player in school history." In 2010, he was celebrated as part of the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament's Legends Class. ESPN designated him as Virginia Tech’s "Best Player" historically.
Smith earned First Team All-Southern Conference honors in 1959 and was unanimously selected to the First Team again in 1960 alongside Jerry West. In 1961, he served as captain of the All-Southern Conference team and received Converse Second Team All-American distinction in 1960.
Sports Illustrated featured Smith on its December 26, 1960 issue, emphasizing his dominant performances on the court and forecasting All-American recognition based on his exceptional strength and skill set.
Smith’s impact endures through ongoing sports media coverage that highlights significant moments from his playing days and chronicles Virginia Tech’s recruiting accomplishments during his tenure.