Leon Smith (basketball)
Leon Smith | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 2, 1980 United States |
| Occupation | Professional basketball player (retired) |
| Years active | 1999–2004 |
| Known for | NBA, CBA, USBL, IBL basketball career |
Leon Smith (born November 2, 1980) is a retired American professional basketball athlete. His career included participation in the National Basketball Association (NBA), Continental Basketball Association (CBA), USBL, and IBL, along with international stints in Puerto Rico and Argentina.
Smith spent his childhood in foster care after being placed under state supervision at age five due to neglect by his parents. He was selected from Chicago's Martin Luther King High School, where he averaged 25.5 points and 14.5 rebounds during his senior year, by the San Antonio Spurs as the 29th overall pick in the 1999 NBA draft. Immediately following the draft, he was traded to the Dallas Mavericks, but was released in February 2000 without participating in any games, amid mental health challenges that led to psychiatric hospitalization.
In the 2001–02 season, Smith competed for the CBA's Gary Steelheads and Sioux Falls Skyforce, earning recognition on the CBA All-League Second Team. He signed with the Atlanta Hawks in January 2002, appearing in 14 games during a period involving several roster moves, including waivers and a trade to the Milwaukee Bucks, where he did not see game action.
During the 2003–04 season, Smith played with the CBA's Great Lakes Storm and was named to the CBA All-Defensive Team. Toward the end of that season, he joined the Seattle SuperSonics, appearing in just one NBA contest.