Sam Smith (basketball, born 1944)
Sam Smith is an American former professional basketball player who played several seasons in the American Basketball Association.
A 6'7" forward born in Hazard, Kentucky, Smith played at Kentucky Wesleyan College, with whom he won the NCAA Division II championship in 1966. In the final 15 seconds of that game, Smith made a layup, breaking a 51-51 tie and giving Kentucky Wesleyan the victory over Southern Illinois University Carbondale.
After college, Smith was drafted by the Cincinnati Royals in 1967 on the third round, but never played in the NBA.
From 1967 to 1971, he played in the ABA as a member of the Minnesota Muskies, Kentucky Colonels, and Utah Stars. He averaged 8.2 points and 7.0 rebounds per game in his ABA career, and won a league championship with the Stars.
