Craig Smith: Nba, Net Worth & More [2024 Update]

Craig Smith is an American-born former professional basketball player. He has a nine-year-long of experience playing in different professional basketball leagues, including the NBA.

After the Minnesota Timberwolves selected him in the 2006 NBA draft, Smith started his professional league journey. From 2012 to 2015, he played club basketball abroad.

Craig had played college basketball for the Boston College Eagles for four years before stepping into the NBA world. 

The Californian giant was considered one of the most promising upcoming NBA prospects of the 2000s. Now, seeing his situation, it might sound awkward, but the stats don’t lie.

Even the popular sports magazine of that time regard him as one of the best college ballers.

Smith is the winner of the 2013 NBL China scoring competition. Similarly, the NBA enlisted him in the All-Rookie Second Team in 2007. Besides that, he has received numerous honors and accolades during his pre-NBA years.

But, it is pretty unfortunate that his career span was very short. Indeed, his fans had wanted much more from him, but he retired too soon.

Now, let’s get into his life and career in detail in the article below. But before that, here are some quick facts about Craig Smith.

Quick Facts

Craig Smith | Early Life, Family & Education

Craig Smith was born on November 10, 1983, in Inglewood, California, United States. He is the son of California natives Craig Smith Sr. and Linda Christian. But, his mother, Linda, raised him as a single parent.

Although Smith was born in Inglewood, he spent almost his childhood years in Los Angeles and did his schooling there. His mother, Linda, was an educated lady and used to work as an administrative assistant at UCLA Medical Center.

He did not have a rough childhood as his mother had good earnings. Of course, he spent most of his time grasping the school lessons, but his mother made him passionate about one more thing since he was a toddler.

Linda introduced him to basketball when Craig was just three years old. Since then, his interest in the sport has kept increasing.

His mother was a huge NBA fan, and basketball legends such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Walt Frazier, Jerry West, etc., were her favorites.

Although he was clumsy and fat as a kid, Craig showed an aptitude for basketball. He often spent his holidays playing basketball with her mom and neighbors in the nearby park. 

He started playing organized basketball tournaments when he was around six years old. Craig was playing with teenagers and the grown-up man with so much promise when he was ten. However, he struggled a lot due to being overweight back in those days.

Smith enrolled in the Boston College in Massachusetts in 2002 after graduating from the Fairfax High School in 2000. As his marks were not satisfactory, he had to take a class for a year at the Worcester Academy in Massachusetts.

In 2006, Smith graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Boston College.