Tyler Smith (basketball, born 2004)
| No. 21 – Milwaukee Bucks | |
|---|---|
| Position | Power forward |
| League | NBA |
| Personal information | |
| Born | November 2, 2004 New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) |
| Listed weight | 224 lb (102 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | George Bush (Richmond, Texas) |
| NBA draft | 2024: 2nd round, 33rd overall pick |
| Selected by the Milwaukee Bucks | |
| Playing career | 2021–present |
| Career history | |
| 2021–2022 | Team Elite |
| 2022–2023 | Cold Hearts |
| 2023–2024 | NBA G League Ignite |
| 2024–present | Milwaukee Bucks |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Stats at NBA.com | |
| Stats at Basketball Reference | |
Tyler Smith (born November 2, 2004) is an American professional basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He previously played for the NBA G League Ignite of the NBA G League.
Early life and high school career
[edit]Smith was born in New Orleans, Louisiana and relocated with his family to Houston, Texas after they were was displaced by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.[1] Smith attended George Bush High School.[2]
Smith was a five-star recruit and one of the top players in the 2023 class, ranked 8th by ESPN , 15th by 247 and 18th by Rivals before leaving school for OTE according to major recruiting services.[3] He had scholarship offers from Kansas, Baylor, Texas, Florida State, Oklahoma, Memphis, and LSU, among others.[4]
Professional career
[edit]Overtime Elite (2021–2023)
[edit]Smith opted not to pursue a collegiate career and signed a two-year contract with Overtime Elite (OTE), a new professional league based in Atlanta with players between ages 16 and 20, on August 22, 2021.[3][5] In his second season, he played for team Cold Hearts and was named second team All-OTE after averaging 15.7 points, eight rebounds, 1.9 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game.[6]
NBA G League Ignite (2023–2024)
[edit]Smith signed with the NBA G League Ignite on June 30, 2023.[7][6]
Milwaukee Bucks (2024–present)
[edit]Smith was selected with the 33rd overall pick by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2024 NBA draft[8][9] and on July 5, he signed with them.[10]
Smith made his NBA debut on October 23, 2024, in a 124-109 win over the Philadelphia 76ers.[11]
References
[edit]- ^ Crain, Nick (October 29, 2023). "Walking Mismatch: G League Ignite's Tyler Smith Blends Fluidity with Size". SI.com. Retrieved November 20, 2023.
- ^ Young, Matt (August 23, 2021). "Bush's Tyler Smith leaving school to sign with Overtime Elite". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
- ^ a b Zucker, Joseph (August 22, 2021). "5-Star PF Tyler Smith Skips College, Signs '7-Figure' Overtime Elite Contract". Bleacher Report. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
- ^ Young, Matt (December 26, 2022). "How Bryce Griggs, Tyler Smith are doing at Overtime Elite". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
- ^ Givony, Jonathan (August 22, 2021). "Tyler Smith, No. 8 basketball prospect in 2023 class, signs with Overtime Elite". ESPN.com. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
- ^ a b Tipton, Joe (June 30, 2023). "Overtime Elite's Tyler Smith signs with G-League Ignite". On3.com. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
- ^ "Tyler Smith & Izan Almansa Sign With Ignite". NBA.com (Press release). June 30, 2023. Retrieved November 20, 2023.
- ^ Young, Matt (June 27, 2024). "NBA draft: Bucks pick former Houston high school standout Tyler Smith". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
- ^ "Milwaukee Bucks Select Tyler Smith With 33rd Pick In 2024 NBA Draft". www.nba.com. Retrieved 2024-07-27.
- ^ "Milwaukee Bucks Sign AJ Johnson and Tyler Smith". NBA.com. July 5, 2024. Retrieved July 5, 2024.
- ^ "Milwaukee Bucks at Philadelphia 76ers Box Score, October 23, 2024". BasketballRef. Retrieved November 1, 2024.