If at first you don’t succeed, dust yourself off and try again.
Nobody sums up that mantra better than Ish Smith.
GettySmith has enjoyed a remarkable career, going from undrafted to NBA champion[/caption]
The former NBA star went undrafted out of Wake Forest as a 6ft 1in point guard in 2010.
He was picked up by the Houston Rockets and was on his second stint with the Philadelphia 76ers by 2015, having already played for eight teams.
After setting career highs in points (28) and assists (16) in Philly, Smith was turning into a useful player and signed with the Detroit Pistons, where he would remain until 2019.
Following two years with the Washington Wizards, the journeyman signed with his hometown Charlotte Hornets in August 2021 — the 12th NBA team of an 11-year career.
It tied a record jointly held by Joe Smith, Chucky Brown, Jim Jackson, Tony Massenburg, and Garrett Temple.
Smith was back in Washington by February 2022 via a trade and took the NBA record outright when he was traded to the Denver Nuggets five months later.
“When I got to the NBA, that rollercoaster ride kind of started — I never got bothered,” Smith told Insider about his unique career.
“I just kind of was like, ‘Okay, this is a part of my journey. Let me just keep pushing and keep going.’
“I think at times when you don’t push through those things, you never know what you’re capable of.”
No.13 is unlucky for some, but for Smith it brought a Championship in his 23rd playoff game with victory over the Miami Heat in the 2023 Finals.
GettySmith is held in high esteem due to his work ethic[/caption]
GettyHe finished his career with his hometown Hornets[/caption]
That is a feat that Elgin Baylor, Chris Paul, and Joel Embid have never accomplished.
Smith ended his career with the Hornets in February 2024.
In 805 games, he averaged 7.1 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 3.8 assists, shooting 42.9 percent from the field and 32.5 percent beyond the arc
Over his 14-year career he wore 10 different numbers and earned an estimated $50 million — five times what Larry Bird made, albeit in a different era.
Per The Athletic, Smith joined the Wizards as a scout after calling it a day.
He learned a lot over his career and had a reputation for dedication that should serve him well in his new role.
“The thing that you could always count on with Ish is that he was gonna bring great enthusiasm and excitement into the building every single day,” said Bob Beyer, who coached Smith from 2016-2018 as an assistant with the Detroit Pistons.
“It didn’t matter if it was for a practice, a shoot-around or a game, he just has unbelievable passion for the game.”
Smith is adamant that character can only get you so far.
“My character kept me in the league, and that’s a tribute to my mom and dad,” he told the Washington Post in 2022.
“But after a while, I play basketball. This is not a character competition.”
Will Smith’s record stand the test of time? Toronto Raptors veteran Temple is 38 years old and needs one more team to tie and two to go ahead.