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.
| 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 |
| 2024 | →Wisconsin Herd |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Stats at NBA.com | |
| Stats at Basketball Reference | |
Early life and high school career
editSmith 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
editOvertime Elite (2021–2023)
editSmith 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)
editSmith signed with the NBA G League Ignite on June 30, 2023.[7][6]
Milwaukee Bucks / Wisconsin Herd (2024–present)
editSmith 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.