Joe Smith, from Norfolk, VA and Maury High School, was a force on the hardwood. The 1993 All-Tidewater Boys’ Basketball Player of the year and Parade 3rd Team All-American committed to the University of Maryland where he would make an immediate impact. Over two seasons in College Park, Smith would be named the ACC Rookie of the Year (1994), ACC Player of the Year (1995), and All-ACC 1st Team in both seasons. In 1995 Smith would earn consensus 1st-team All-American honors and was named Player of the Year by four outlets: Adolph Rupp Trophy, AP Player of the Year, UPI Player of the Year, and the Naismith Player of the Year. In his two seasons with Maryland, Smith averaged 20.2 points per game on 55% shooting, 10.7 rebounds, 2.97 blocks, and 1.45 steals per game. Following college, Smith would be drafted #1 overall in the 1995 NBA draft by the Golden State Warriors and was named to the NBA All-Rookie 1st-team. In his 2nd season with the Warriors, he would average a career high 18.7 points while playing in 80 games. In total, Smith would play 16 seasons in the NBA, scoring over 11,000 points, and grabbing over 6,500 rebounds. Smith averaged double figures in points in 9 of his 16 seasons. He is a 2018 inductee into the Hampton Roads Sports Hall of Fame.
