The path to the top of the NBA is rarely ever straightforward; it takes talent, hard work and more than a bit of luck. For every athlete that makes it, thousands of hopefuls fall by the wayside.
Even for those individuals talented enough to star at the collegiate level, there is no guarantee of selection in the NBA Draft. Once a prospect goes undrafted, though, their chances of success at the highest level drop even more.
However, as devastating as it is to be passed over in the draft, non-selection doesn't always mean that a player's NBA dream is over, as Ish Smith found out after missing out on a spot in the big time in 2010.
Competing for a spot with NBA franchise as part of a draft class that included the likes of John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins and Paul George, Smith found no takers. His road to the NBA wasn't going to be as smooth as that of fellow Wake College alumni Tim Duncan and Chris Paul.
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Ish Smith Achieved His NBA Dream Against All Odds
The Wake Forest graduate never gave up on his dream
Ish Smith
Credit: © Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
While those who had been drafted immediately began prepping for the NBA careers they had always dreamed of, Smith had to continue to work hard on the court to prove his worth. Accepting an invitation from the Houston Rockets to play on their summer league team, Smith showed his talent, shooting at 58% from the floor.
The Rockets took a chance on the plucky youngster, bringing him onto their full roster. However, he was used sparingly in his rookie season, playing just 28 games for the franchise. In an effort to increase his playing time, Smith also spent a number of spells with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in the NBA Development League – now known as the G League.
Houston, ultimately, wasn't the right fit for Smith and he would soon be traded to the Memphis Grizzles. Arriving at a new franchise is something Smith would quickly become used to. By the time he joined the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2014-2015 season, he had worn the jerseys of no less than eight NBA teams.
Hitting career-high totals for points (28) and assists (16) with the 76ers, Smith was finally finding his feet in the league. After leaving Philly, he would join the Detroit Pistons, where he would stay until 2019.
Ish Smith and Garrett Temple
Credit: © Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
A stint with the Washington Wizards was next, before Smith completed a move to his hometown franchise, the Charlotte Bobcats. By this point, Ish had played for a staggering 12 teams across his 11-year career. It was a run that saw him tied for the NBA record for most teams represented - alongside fellow journeymen Joe Smith, Chucky Brown, Jim Jackson, Tony Massenburg, and Garrett Temple.
Smith would take the record for himself in July 2022, though, after he was traded to the Denver Nuggets. The switch meant that Ish carved out a unique place in NBA history, but Denver would also be the site of his greatest career accomplishment. Helping the Nuggets to defeat the Miami Heat in the 2023 NBA Finals, the veteran finally got his hands on the league's top prize in his 23rd playoff game.
Ish Smith's NBA career stats
Points
Rebounds
Assists
Although Smith bounced around more franchises than any other player in NBA history, he was highly respected by his coaches and peers. Asked to reflect upon how he found the drive to keep going after being passed over in the 2010 draft, he told Business Insider:
"I just kind of was like, 'Okay, this is part of my journey. Let me just keep pushing and keep going'. I think at times when you don't push through those things, you never know what you're capable of."
By the time Smith ended his career back in Charlotte in February 2024, he had played 805 games, averaging 7.1 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 3.8 assists, shooting 42.9 percent from the field and 32.5 percent outside the arc. He is also estimated to have earned an eye-watering $50 million across his career, proving that just because a player goes undrafted, it doesn't have to be the end of their NBA dream.
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