Stevin Smith
Encyclopedia
Stevin L. Smith is an American professional basketball
player and former college
star, who is also known for his involvement in the 1994 Arizona State point-shaving scandal.
Bill Frieder
.
point guard
for Arizona State University
from 1991 through 1994, twice leading the Sun Devils to the NCAA
Tournament. However, he also became involved in the 1994 Arizona State point shaving scandal along with ASU teammate Isaac Burton. Smith allegedly received $20,000 for shaving points in the game against Oregon State
on January 28, 1994. He was arrested in the summer of 1997, and in December 1997, Smith and Burton pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges, admitting taking bribes to fix four games in 1994. Smith was sentenced to one year and one day in prison.
team after leaving college in 1994, Smith took his game overseas, playing for the Spanish
team Somontano Huesca during the 1994-95 season. Over the next four years, Smith played for teams in Turkey
, France
and in the CBA
.
During the 1997 NBA season, Smith signed two consecutive 10-day contracts with the Dallas Mavericks
, and received his only NBA playing time to date. He played 60 minutes over eight games, scoring 14 points for a 1.8 per-game average. Then the point-shaving scandal surfaced, effectively killing Smith's hopes of a career in the NBA.
After his release from prison in 2000, Smith returned to Europe and his professional basketball career, playing for three different teams based in France
from 2001-03, in the Israeli League
in 2004 and for Dynamo Moscow
in Russia
for two seasons until 2006. In 2006-07, Smith joined Legea Scafati
of the Italian Serie A
league.
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player and former college
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
star, who is also known for his involvement in the 1994 Arizona State point-shaving scandal.
Early life
Smith was born in Dallas, Texas and was an outstanding high school basketball player. He played at Arizona State University under head coachHead coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
Bill Frieder
Bill Frieder
Bill Frieder is a former basketball coach at the University of Michigan and Arizona State University . Just before the 1989 NCAA Tournament, Frieder announced that he would leave Michigan for Arizona State at the end of the season...
.
College career
Smith was an All-PAC-10 ConferencePacific Ten Conference
The Pacific-12 Conference is a college athletic conference that operates in the Western United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I; its football teams compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision , the higher of two levels of NCAA Division I football competition...
point guard
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
for Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
from 1991 through 1994, twice leading the Sun Devils to the NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
Tournament. However, he also became involved in the 1994 Arizona State point shaving scandal along with ASU teammate Isaac Burton. Smith allegedly received $20,000 for shaving points in the game against Oregon State
Oregon State Beavers men's basketball
The Oregon State Beavers men's basketball program, established in 1901, is the intercollegiate men's basketball program of the Oregon State University Beavers. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I, and the team competes in the Pacific-12 Conference. The team is coached by Craig...
on January 28, 1994. He was arrested in the summer of 1997, and in December 1997, Smith and Burton pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges, admitting taking bribes to fix four games in 1994. Smith was sentenced to one year and one day in prison.
Professional basketball career
After failing to make an NBANational Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
team after leaving college in 1994, Smith took his game overseas, playing for the Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
team Somontano Huesca during the 1994-95 season. Over the next four years, Smith played for teams in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and in the CBA
Continental Basketball Association
The Continental Basketball Association was a professional men's basketball league in the United States, which has been on hiatus since the 2009 season.- History :...
.
During the 1997 NBA season, Smith signed two consecutive 10-day contracts with the Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
, and received his only NBA playing time to date. He played 60 minutes over eight games, scoring 14 points for a 1.8 per-game average. Then the point-shaving scandal surfaced, effectively killing Smith's hopes of a career in the NBA.
After his release from prison in 2000, Smith returned to Europe and his professional basketball career, playing for three different teams based in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
from 2001-03, in the Israeli League
Ligat Winner
Ligat HaAl , or the Israeli Basketball Super League, is the top tier of league basketball competition in Israeli basketball, making it Israel's primary basketball competition. For sponsorship reasons, the league is also referred to as Ligat Loto , lit...
in 2004 and for Dynamo Moscow
MBC Dynamo Moscow
MBC Dynamo Moscow is a Russian professional basketball team from Moscow, Russia.-Early Years:Created in 1923 when Russia was part of the Soviet Union, Dynamo is among the oldest sports clubs in the country. Its name was chosen because Dynamo means 'power in motion'. The club was backed by the...
in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
for two seasons until 2006. In 2006-07, Smith joined Legea Scafati
Scafati Basket
Scafati Basket, also known for sponsorship reasons as Harem Scafati, is an Italian basketball club from the town of Scafati, Campania. The club plays in LegADue, the second level of Italian basketball; it was relegated from Lega Basket after finishing last in the 2007-08 season...
of the Italian Serie A
Serie A (basketball)
Lega Basket Serie A is the highest level club competition in Italian professional basketball where play determines the national champion. The season consists of a home-and-away schedule of 30 games, followed by an eight-team playoff round. Quarterfinals and semifinals series are best-of-five, and...
league.
Post-playing career
Stevin Smith is currently Vice President for the N.O.W. Program, which assists young people in the Dallas area.External links
- NBA statistics @ basketball-reference.com