Donta Smith

Donta Smith
Smith with Hapoel Jerusalem, 2015
No. 15 – Élan Béarnais Pau-Orthez
Position Small forward
League LNB Pro A
Personal information
Born (1983-11-27) November 27, 1983
Louisville, Kentucky
Nationality American / Venezuelan
Listed height 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
Listed weight 220 lb (100 kg)
Career information
High school Oldham County (Buckner, Kentucky)
College Southeastern Illinois (2002–2004)
NBA draft 2004 / Round: 2 / Pick: 34th overall
Selected by the Atlanta Hawks
Playing career 2004–present
Career history
2004–2006 Atlanta Hawks
2005–2006 →Arkansas RimRockers
2007 Academic Sofia
2008 Shanxi Zhongyu
2008–2009 South Dragons
2009 Gigantes de Carolina
2009–2010 Shanxi Zhongyu
2010 Marinos de Anzoátegui
2010 Vaqueros de Bayamón
2010 Espartanos de Margarita
2010–2011 Liaoning Dinosaurs
2011 Marinos de Anzoátegui
2011 Fuerza Regia
2012 Indios de Mayagüez
2012–2014 Maccabi Haifa
2014–2016 Hapoel Jerusalem
2017 Bucaneros de La Guaira
2017 Piratas de Quebradillas
2017–2018 Brindisi
2018 Santeros de Aguada.
2018–present Élan Béarnais Pau-Orthez
Career highlights and awards

Donta Lamont Smith (born November 27, 1983) is an American-Venezuelan professional basketball player for Élan Béarnais Pau-Orthez of the LNB Pro A.

High school

Smith played his high school basketball at Oldham County High School, in Buckner, Kentucky, where he was a standout forward on the high school team, and also a record-setting wide receiver on the football team. He also played on the Kentucky (high school) All-Stars in their annual two-game series against the Indiana All-Stars.

College career

After two years of playing junior college basketball at Southeastern Illinois College, Smith was rated as one of the top JUCO prospects, and he committed to play NCAA Division I college basketball for Rick Pitino at the University of Louisville, with the Louisville Cardinals. However, Smith backed out of the commitment, and entered the 2004 NBA Draft instead.

Professional career

Smith was taken by the Atlanta Hawks in the second round of the 2004 NBA draft, after playing JUCO college basketball at Southeastern Illinois College, and he averaged 3.3 points per game for the Hawks during his two-season stint. On December 2, 2005, the Hawks assigned Smith to their NBA Development League affiliate, the Arkansas RimRockers.[1]

In January 2007, Smith signed a one-month contract with Bulgarian champions Academic Sofia, which could possibly be extended to five months. On December 24, 2008, Smith signed with the South Dragons of the Australian National Basketball League. He had previously been with the Chinese Basketball Association's Shanxi Zhongyu but was waived to make roster space available for Bonzi Wells.[2]

In 2009, Smith went on to win the 2009 NBL championship with the South Dragons, and was named Finals MVP after starring for the team in the 5-game series. After one season with the South Dragons, Smith would return to the Shanxi Zhongyu for the 2009–10 season. In December 2010 he signed with the Liaoning Dinosaurs.[3]

In 2011, Smith signed with Fuerza Regia in Mexico.[4] He later played for the Indios de Mayaguez of Puerto Rico,[5] and Maccabi Haifa of Israel.[6]

Smith led Haifa to its first Israeli Super League title ever during the 2012–13 season, his first with his team, along with teammate Gal Mekel. In the following season, 2013–14, Smith was awarded the Israeli Basketball League's Most Valuable Player Award, after leading Haifa to the finals for the second time in a row. Haifa, however, could not win the title again, after losing the finals to EuroLeague superpower Maccabi Tel Aviv. In 2014, he was chosen the MVP of the Israeli All-Star game.

In June 2014, after two successful seasons with Haifa, Smith signed a three-year contact with Israeli team Hapoel Jerusalem. In his first season with the team, he was instrumental in its winning its first ever national championship. He left Hapoel Jerusalem in July 2016 after losing the opportunity for a second title to Maccabi Rishon LeZion BC.

On November 23, 2017, Smith signed with New Basket Brindisi for the rest of the 2017–18 LBA season.[7]

On June 4, 2018, Smith signed with Santeros de Aguada for the rest of the 2018 BSN Season.[8]

On July 9, 2018, Smith signed with the French team Élan Béarnais Pau-Lacq-Orthez for the 2018–19 season.[9]

Venezuelan national team

In August 2013, Smith was naturalized as a Venezuelan, in order for him to be able to play with the Venezuelan national basketball team.[10] He played with Venezuela at the 2013 FIBA Americas Championship.

References

  1. ↑ HAWKS ASSIGN DONTA SMITH TO NBA D-LEAGUE
  2. ↑ South Dragons welcome recruit Donta Smith
  3. ↑ Good to go: Liaoning signs its second import, Donta Smith
  4. ↑ Fuerza Regia brings in Donta Smith
  5. ↑ Mayagez signs Donta Smith
  6. ↑ Maccabi Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Maccabi Haifa and Ashdod in the semifinals
  7. ↑ Happy Casa Brindisi signs Donta Smith
  8. ↑ "Donta Smith signs with Santeros de Aguada". Sportando.basketball. 4 June 2018. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  9. ↑ "Pau-Orthez signs Donta Smith". Sportando.basketball. July 9, 2018. Retrieved July 9, 2018.
  10. ↑ Donta Smith se nacionaliza y se ofrece para jugar con Venezuela
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