5 Louisville basketball stars who deserved more time in the NBA

1. Russ Smith

NBA Career: 2014-2016, 27 games played, 2.0 ppg, 0.7 apg

Teams: New Orleans Pelicans, Memphis Grizzlies

Josh Magette, Mitch Creek, Dusty Hannahs, Joe Chealey, and Mychal Mulder are just five of the 100-plus players who have signed 10-day & two-way contracts over the last two seasons across the NBA. While all of those guys are good players in their own rights, you can’t convince me that they deserve a chance at competing in the NBA more than former Louisville basketball star and the one blessed by Lil B’,  Russ Smith.

Russ Smith aka Russdiculous was an enigma much like T-Will, one who has been credited with changing the style of Rick Pitino and for giving all of us multiple heart attacks over his four year career. Whether it was running one-on-five fast breaks or taking iconic waffle pictures, there has never been nor will there ever be a player to come through Louisville like Russdiculous.

One could make the argument that Smith is one of the best players of Louisville basketball history, after winning a national championship, making two final four runs and winning regional MOP in 2013, winning three conference titles, being a first-team All-American, and finishing within the top 10 in all-time scoring and first in steals.

Smith was drafted 47th overall in 2014 by the New Orleans Pelicans where he would play 12 games before being traded to the Memphis Grizzlies in a three-team trade. He’d spend most of his time in the Development League while playing for the Grizzlies, but averaged 2.3 points and 0.8 assists per game before being released in December of 2015.

The next stop for Russ was the D-League where he’d absolutely set the league on fire, averaging 28 points and eight assists over 22 games including setting a record for most points in a game at 65, one that still stands to this day. Whatever argument that GM’s and front offices were using to not sign Smith should’ve been put to rest after his time in Delaware. He produced on offense (110.6 offensive rating), made plays on defense (110.3 defensive rating), was utilized more than any player on his team (27.4 percent usage rating), and was an even more efficient scorer than he was in college (47.7 effective FG percentage).

Russ told Bleacher Report:

"“I felt like I outperformed everybody, but the phone wasn’t ringing the way it was supposed to be. I figured they forgot about me.”"

After the G-League, Russ headed to Turkey where things never materialized before moving to play in China. There he’d breaky nearly every scoring record, averaging over 60 points per game. Still no calls.

https://twitter.com/Specter_Smit/status/1277701019896512512

Let me make this clear – Russ Smith belongs to be in the NBA. I get that a 6’0 shooting guard is tough to justify in a league that values size and athleticism. However, we’ve seen multiple players that play his style of game thrive in the NBA; JJ Barea, DJ Augustin, Fred VanVleet, just to name a few more recently

No one across any league or level of basketball brings more energy and scoring potential than Russ and as we saw in his time in the D League and playing in China, he’s more than capable of getting others involved.

There are multiple triple-doubles with 11 and 12 assists (if not more) to go along with numerous 50 and 60 point scoring performances, and nothing but good reviews character-wise both on and off the floor. So why no team?

That I can’t tell you, and it doesn’t seem Russ can either. But his plea is simple, he just needs a chance.

"“I don’t believe there are 400 guys in that league better than me. You want to name like 150? Fine. Maybe I’m not a rotation guy. I’ll practice, show up to every game in a suit and cheer on my teammates. “But I for damn sure belong on an NBA roster.”"

There are plenty of teams who could use a scorer like Smith, and my hope is that in the next few years a return to the G League prompts a team taking a chance.