Staying in the news for his $61 million earnings from playing Basketball for 12 different franchises, and how he only took home $18 million after the huge deduction, Joe Smith has left his mark on the world of the NBA. In his career spanning about 16 years, Smith achieved a lot in terms of money, fame, and recognition, and his extraordinary playing skills made him the No.1 overall pick in the 1995 NBA draft.
Though his achievements are a dream of many NBA players, he is getting more fame for his financial struggles, which he, too, is talking openly about. Without undermining his success and everything he earned, let’s talk about his early life, career, and net worth.
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Early Life
Joe Smith was born on 26th July 1975 in Norfolk, Virgina, USA, and was raised by his mother, Letha Smith. There is no information about his father available anywhere, and his mother played an important role in making him pursue basketball from an early age, which he continued. Whether he had siblings or not is not mentioned anywhere.
For education, he went to Maury High School in Norfolk during the late 1980s and 1990s, where he proactively played basketball and even became the best in the school basketball team. He graduated from there in 1993, and his outstanding performance got him a scholarship to the University of Maryland, which he joined the same year.
His years in university were all about his remarkable playing performance, and he won many honours in his name. After spending 2 years in the university, he dropped off as he was selected for the 1995 NBA Draft.
Evolution of Career
Smith’s career started from an early age when he was enrolled in the University of Maryland in 1993 which he could enter because of a scholarship he earned for playing basketball. As a freshman season in the university, he earned the “ACC Rookie of the Year Award.” In his sophomore year, he maintained his place as No. 1 with an average of 20.8 points and 10.6 rebounds, making Maryland win the Naismith College Player of the Year award and national recognition.
Smith was declared for the NBA draft in 1995 and was shortlisted first overall by the Golden State Warriors. His rookie season began good, and he averaged 15.3 and 8.7 rebounds, that put him in the NBA All-Rookie First Team spot. For the next few years, he performed exceptionally for the Warriors and constantly improved his game. In 1998, he was sent to the Philadelphia 76ers and began his long journey for multiple teams.
He played for 76er between 1998 and 2000 and later joined the Minnesota Timberwolves, but became the subject of controversies for violating league rules and an under-the-table contract. An investigation was initiated in 2000, and it resulted in heavy penalties and loss of many draft picks for the Timberwolves. Despite the allegations and penalties, Smith never lacked in his game and continued his association with the Timberwolves.
Smith joined the Milwaukee Bucks and the Denver Nuggets and played for them from 2003 to 2006, where he showed his ability in leadership and rebounding. He rejoined the Philadelphia 76ers in 2006 for a short period and later joined different franchise, including the Chicago Bulls (2006 – 2007), the Cleveland Cavalier (2007 – 2008), and the Oklahoma City Thunder (2008 – 2009). While playing for these teams, he created his dependency and turned out to be a great mentor for younger players.
In 2009, he joined the Atlanta Hawks and later went with the New Jersey Nets and Los Angeles between 2010 and 2011, which also marked the final years of him as a professional NBA player. Post his retirement, he explored international opportunities and played for small basketball leagues. He also turned to mentorship and made occasional appearances in NBA community programs and sports documentaries. By 2023, he was into youth training, which he is continuing at present.
Shot to Fame
Joe Smith rose to fame quickly because he was picked first overall by the Golden State Warriors in the NBA draft. His second breakthrough moment came when he made Maryland win the Naismith College Player of the Year award and national recognition.
Relationships
As per the records, Joe Smith has been married twice, and the details regarding his first marriage is not available. However, his second marriage with Kisha Chavis in 2018 got him media attention, and they even appeared in the VH1 reality show “Couples Retreat.” It is also said that Smith has kids from his previous marriage, but nothing concrete is available. He doesn’t have any kids with Kisha, but they are still together.
Major Sources of Income and Net Worth
The actual net worth of Joe Smith’s was reportedly $61 million, which was reduced to $18 million after deduction of taxes and agent’s fees. However, due to heavy mismanagement, he lost most of his wealth, and at present, his net worth stands at $100,000. He earned this huge amount for playing for 12 different franchise and sponsorships.
