Josh Smith

From Hoopedia

Josh Smith (born December 5, 1985 in College Park, Georgia) currently plays for the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA.

High School Career

Smith played one year of high school basketball as a senior at Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Virginia, after leaving McEachern High School, in Powder Springs, Georgia. While at McEachern, Smith was a two-time All State selection. Smith averaged 20.6 ppg, 11.6 rpg, 6.0 bpg and 4.0 apg in his last year at McEachern High School. At the Nike Hoop Summit, Smith lead Team USA over the World Select 99-79, scoring 27 points and earning MVP honors.

NBA Career

Smith declared for the 2004 NBA Draft, foregoing a career at Indiana University. He was selected by the Atlanta Hawks with the 17th overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft.

Smith won the NBA Slam Dunk Contest his rookie year during the 2005 NBA All-Star Weekend. He averaged 9.7 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.95 blocks per game for the 2004-2005 season and was selected to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team. For the 2005-06 season, Smith averaged 2.25 blocks per game, ranking seventh in the NBA.

After the NBA All-Star Weekend, Smith would continue his steady development. He finished second in the NBA in total blocks, 4th in blocks per game and averaged 15.0 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 4.1 apg, 3.1 bpg and 1.0 spg after the All-Star break and his contribution helped the Hawks double their win total of 13 wins from the previous season to finish 26-56.

On March 3, 2007, Smith broke the 500 block mark, making him the youngest player to do so in NBA history.

Smith ended the 2006-2007 with 16.4 points per game, 8.6 rebounds per game, 3.3 assists, 1.4 steals and 2.9 blocks, dramatically improving on his previous season's stats. Leading the Hawk's after Joe Johnson's season ending injury, Smith produced a career high 32 points and 19 rebounds in Johnson's absence.