Joshua Smith (basketball)

Smith was born in Seattle and grew up in Kent, Washington. Smith learned to use his height and weight to his advantage while playing for his Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) team, the Seattle Rotary, and then at Kentwood High School. He was in his freshman year, and grew each year until he stood by the end of his junior season. He was ranked by ESPN RISE as the No. 1 center recruit in the nation; Smith considered staying home and attending the nearby University of Washington, but he said he "couldn't pass up the opportunity" to attend the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). ==College career==

UCLA in 2012 At Smith's first practice with UCLA, coach Ben Howland expressed excitement over Smith's length and size. "When he is planted on the block, you're not moving him," he said. However, Howland was concerned about Smith's mobility, as he weighed after losing over the summer. Smith provided UCLA an inside game they had lacked in recent years. He was named to the Pac-10 Conference's All-Freshman team, and showed tremendous potential. However, he had foul trouble and struggled with his conditioning. He became a dominant presence late in the season as the Bruins advanced to the third round of the 2011 NCAA tournament. In his last four games, including starts in both tournament games, Smith averaged 13 points and 27 minutes a game. Howland thought Smith had a future playing professionally in the National Basketball Association (NBA), "provided he does certain things." The coach believed Smith would work on improving his conditioning. Entering his sophomore year, Smith was generally considered a favorite to be named All-Pac-10. However, he did not do much to improve his game in the offseason, and he began 2011–12 at roughly the same size if not larger; his conditioning affected his production. His playing time declined, and his fouls per 40 minutes went from a suspect 5.8 as a freshman to an awful 7.3. He showed improved discipline entering his junior season, having lost since the end of the previous season. in early 2012, Sports Illustrated reported a lack of discipline at UCLA under Howland. Georgetown . Smith transferred to Georgetown University, enrolling in January 2013. He practiced with the Hoyas basketball team, but was not allowed to play due to National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) transfer rules. After playing in the Hoyas first two conference games, Smith missed the remaining 20 games of the season after January 4, 2014, due to academic ineligibility. He finished the season ranked second on the team in scoring (10.8) and rebounding (5.8), and was invited to the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament. ==Professional career==

NBA D-League After going undrafted in the 2015 NBA draft, Smith played with the Miami Heat in the 2015 NBA Summer League. On September 21, 2015, he signed with the Houston Rockets. After appearing in seven preseason games, he was waived on October 24 in the Rockets' final round of cuts before the regular season. On November 2, 2015, Smith was acquired by the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the NBA Development League as an affiliate player of the Rockets. As a rookie in 2015–16, he averaged 8.9 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 45 games for the Vipers. As the season progressed, Smith's weight increased and his playing time fell, and he was nearly cut by the Vipers. During the 2016 offseason, Smith dropped to after working out with a new trainer in preparation for the Las Vegas Summer League. On October 31, 2016, he was reacquired by the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. Overseas On May 17, 2017, Smith signed with TNT KaTropa of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). On August 21, 2017, Smith signed with Kyoto Hannaryz of the B.League. In May 2018, Smith returned to TNT KaTropa to replace Jeremy Tyler. On July 27, 2018, Smith signed with Toyama Grouses of the B.League. On June 19, 2019, Smith re-signed with Toyama Grouses. On July 15, 2020, Smith re-signed with Toyama Grouses. On June 18, 2021, Smith re-signed with Toyama Grouses. On May 23, 2022, Smith re-signed with Toyama Grouses. On September 17, 2023, Smith signed with Nagoya Diamond Dolphins of the B.League. On June 18, 2024, Smith signed with Rizing Zephyr Fukuoka of the B.League. ==Career statistics==

Professional College ==References==