As a 5-11 high school freshman, he didn't make the team. But after sprouting to 7 feet over the next two years, Smith said, "The principal threatened me: 'If you don't go out for basketball, we're going to kick you off campus.' "[1]
Making the team but rarely playing, Smith had only three scholarship offers "just by being tall and coordinated," he said. He originally enrolled at Wiley College, but he was told his playing time would be limited. So, he transferred to Kentucky State.[1]
College career
Smith attended Kentucky State University. He is listed among the top rebounders in college basketball. He was a member of the 1970 and 1971 NAIA Championship teams, coached by Lucias Mitchell, playing alongside teammate Travis Grant. He holds the NAIA record for most rebounds in a season (799 rebounds in 1971), and tops the NCAA All-Division list.[1]
In 1968–1969, Smith averaged 14.8 points and 19.8 rebounds. In 1969–1970 he averaged 21.6 points and 22.7 rebounds and in 1970–1971, he averaged 25.5 points and 24.2 rebounds, leading Kentucky State to NAIA Championships his last two seasons.[2]
After compiling career averages of 21.3 points and 22.6 rebounds, Smith left for the NBA his senior year in 1971.[2]
NBA career
Smith was drafted by the Buffalo Braves in the 1st round (3rd pick) of the 1971 NBA Draft on March 29, 1971.[3]
In his first season, Smith averaged 17.3 points per game and 15.2 rebounds per game, playing alongside Bob Kauffman, and was named to the NBA All-Rookie Team.[3] His rebounding average for that season is the eighth-highest ever recorded by an NBA rookie.
In 1972–1973, he averaged 18.3 points and 12.4 rebounds for the Braves. Then, on September 12, 1973, he was traded by the Braves to the Los Angeles Lakers for Jim McMillian.[3]
With the Lakers in 1973–74, Smith averaged 12.5 points with 11.2 rebounds and a league leading 4.9 blocked shots.[4] The 1973–1974 season was the first in which blocked shots were officially recorded by the NBA, and Smith set a still-standing league record of 17 blocks in a game against Portland on October 28, 1973.[5] On the other hand, Smith, who missed more than half of his free throw attempts during the regular season, had an unusual performance in a, in a 106 to 89 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on December 28, 1974, when he failed in three consecutive shots from the free throw line (under the now defunct ""three to make two" rule in the NBA at the time) with all three attempts being an "air ball" where the ball basketball failed to hit the basket, the rim or the backboard.[6]
In 1976–77, Smith averaged 12.5 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.2 blocks for the 43–39 Cavaliers under Coach Bill Fitch.[7]
Smith was plagued by a knee injury, that required surgery, and played in only 24 games for Cleveland in 1978–79, the last of his career.[8][9]
Smith is best remembered for his shot-blocking, earning him the nickname "Elmore the Rejector". He led the league in total blocked shots twice (in 1974 and 1975), and holds the NBA record for most blocked shots in a game since 1973, with 17.[10] He achieved this mark against the Portland Trail Blazers on October 28, 1973, while playing for the Lakers. Smith's average of 4.85 blocks per game from the 1973–74 season (the first season blocked shots were officially recorded in the NBA) is the third highest ever. He was also a skilled rebounder, and he averaged a double-double (13.4 points, 10.6 rebounds) over the course of his career.
Smith started a barbecue sauce business in 2006 after years of making sauces for family and friends. His sauces are served at Elmore Smith's Smokehouse Restaurant located in Cleveland's Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse or online.[11][1]
Smith has remained in the Cleveland area and is frequently seen at Cavalier games.[12]
Honors
Smith was inducted into the Kentucky State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2002.[13]
In 2008, Smith was inducted into the Georgia Hall of Fame.[14]
Smith was inducted into the Greater Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame in 2014.[12]
In 2017, he was inducted into the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame.[15]
