Adrian 'Odie' Smith, a Basketball Hall of Famer Who Played at Kentucky and in the NBA, Dies at 89
The Hall of Famer won a 1958 NCAA title, an Olympic gold medal and the 1966 NBA All-Star MVP award in an 11-year pro career.
- Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Adrian 'Odie' Smith died April 28 at age 89, the University of Kentucky announced. The 1958 NCAA national champion with the Wildcats left a storied legacy across college and professional basketball.
- Growing up in a one-bedroom Graves County farmhouse without electricity or indoor plumbing, Smith learned to shoot by tossing wool socks into a peach basket nailed to a tree. His resourceful childhood shaped his path to basketball.
- Smith secured 1960 Olympic gold as part of the U.S. men's national team and earned 1966 NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player honors, becoming the only player to win MVP in his sole appearance. He scored 24 points and grabbed eight rebounds in 26 minutes.
- Following an 11-year pro career primarily with the Cincinnati Royals, Smith built a distinguished second career in banking and volunteered as an assistant coach for three years with the Continental Basketball Association.
- Mitch Barnhart, UK Director of Athletics, remembered Smith on Monday, saying "Odie holds a special place in the history, and the treasured heritage, of Kentucky basketball." His legacy endures among Big Blue Nation.
28 Articles
28 Articles
Associated Press News
Adrian 'Odie' Smith, a basketball Hall of Famer who played at Kentucky and in the NBA, dies at 89
Adrian “Odie” Smith, whose Hall of Fame basketball career included a college national title with Kentucky, a gold medal at the 1960 Rome Olympics and a 10-year stint in the NBA, has died at 89.
'Kindest, nicest man' | Remembering the legacy of former Cincinnati Royals player Adrian Smith
Former Cincinnati Royals guard Adrian Smith, a longtime Anderson Township resident, died April 28 at the age of 89. The Golo, Kentucky native called Cincinnati home for more than six decades.
Kentucky Basketball Hall of Famer Adrian ‘Odie’ Smith Dies
Kentucky basketball Hall of Famer Adrian “Odie” Smith passed away on April 28. He was 89. Smith was a member of UK legendary “Fiddlin’ Five” who won the 1958 national championship. Here is a tribute to Smith from UK Athletics: LEXINGTON, Ky. – Adrian ‘Odie’ Smith, a Naismith Memorial Basketball and University of Kentucky Hall of Famer, died April 28. He was 89. Smith (1957-58) was a beloved member of the ‘Fiddlin’ Five’ who captured the 1958 nat…
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