Dru Smith

Dru Smith's Biography

Dru Smith, an accomplished American basketball player, was born on December 30, 1997. Today, he holds a distinguished place in the Miami Heat team of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He shares a two-way contract with the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the NBA G League. Before scaling the professional tiers, Smith showcased his playing prowess on college grounds. He played for Evansville Purple Aces first and then joined the Missouri Tigers.

Smith’s early life was marked by his remarkable accomplishments as an athlete. Raised in Evansville, Indiana, he honed his skills at the FJ Reitz High School as a proficient point guard. In his junior season, he delivered outstanding performances averaging 10.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game. Under his leadership, his basketball team managed an enviable record of 29-2 and reached the Class 4A state title game.

Succeeding his extraordinary performance in junior years, Smith hit the court as a senior, clocking an impressive average of 20.8 points, 7.3 assists, seven rebounds, and 4.1 steals every game. Standing out in regional finals, he propelled Reitz to a commendable 22-5 record in the Class 4A tournament. He secured a coveted spot on the Indiana All-Star team, epitomizing his talent at the state level.

Post high school, Smith had a deluge of offers from institutions like Ball State, Northern Kentucky, South Alabama, and Indiana State for college basketball. Preferring to stay closer to home, he chose to commit to Evansville.

His freshman year at Evansville saw an unforgettable game against Wichita State where Smith showcased tremendous performance scoring 19 points, a season-high record as a freshman. He also had an average of 5.3 points, 2.9 assists, and 2.6 rebounds per game during this season, eventually taking home the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) All-Freshman Team honors.

Riding on this success, Smith entered his sophomore season and recorded a season high of 25 points against Bowling Green. Throughout this season, he boasted an average of 13.7 points, 4.6 assists, and two steals per game. Adding another feather to his cap, Smith led the MVC with a 48.2 three-point field goal average and secured a place in the MVC Most Improved Team.

Switching allegiances after sophomore school, Smith chose to transfer to Missouri, ignoring offers from Xavier and Virginia Tech. A strict adherer to the National Collegiate Athletic Association transfer rules, he sat out the following season. Returning in the subsequent season, he delivered his first career double-double of 22 points and 10 rebounds. Also noteworthy was his game against 11th-ranked Auburn where he scored a season-high 28 points. This year, he held an average of 12.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 2.1 steals per game, and led the Southeastern Conference (SEC) with an impressive 64 steals. In his concluding senior season, Smith averaged 14.3 points, 3.8 assists, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.1 steals per game.

Despite being undrafted in the 2021 NBA draft, his talent didn’t go unnoticed as he received an invitation from the Miami Heat for the 2021 NBA Summer League. Subsequently, he signed a contract with the Heat. However, he was waived before the onset of the season and Smith transitioned over to the Sioux Falls Skyforce. Unfortunately, he had to take a break from the game due to a knee injury. After his recovery, he returned to Miami Heat under a two-way contract. Even though Smith was waived by the Heat in November, he re-joined the Skyforce shortly after, pointing to his unwavering passion for the game.

2023 kicked off with Smith signing a two-way contract with the Brooklyn Nets, moving back to the Miami Heat later that year. A turning point came when his deal was upgraded to a standard contract during that same year. Although in November 2023, he suffered a devastating ACL injury during a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers and was ruled out for the rest of the NBA season. From the sidelines, Smith had to watch as the sport he excelled in continued without him. Erik Spoelstra, the head coach of Miami Heat, blamed the court design at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse for Smith’s unfortunate incident.

Despite being waived by the Miami Heat in March 2024, Smith’s passion was not extinguished. By July 2024, he was back on a two-way contract with Miami Heat, awaiting another opportunity to display his unstoppable determination on the court.