Skip to content
Elmore Smith
Center ·Los Angeles Lakers ·NBA ·#3

Elmore Smith

Age77 BornMay 9, 1949 FromUSA Height216 cm (7'1") Weight113 kg CollegeKentucky State Draft1971 · #3
Career averages
13.8PPG
11.2RPG
1.6APG
414 games · 6 seasons

At a glance

LAL hub
Career snapshot
6Seasons
414Games
5,727Career points
16.2PER average
Most-played franchise: Los Angeles Lakers · 155 games · 1973-74 to 1974-75
Honors and awards1 total
1×
All-Rookie Team1971
All awards
Career highsSingle season
18.3PPG · 1972-73 · LAC
15.2RPG · 1971-72 · LAC
2.5APG · 1972-73 · LAC
19.9PER · 1977-78 · CLE
6.8Win shares · 1977-78 · CLE
Draft1971
1Round
3Overall pick
From Kentucky State
Position rank1977-78
#19PPG rank
#9PER rank
#11Win shares rank
CenterPosition
Among 51 Center players with 41+ games

Career by team

Cleveland Cavaliers
1977-78 - 1978-79 · 2 seasons
11.1 PPG 7.5 RPG 0.7 APG
105 games
Los Angeles Lakers
1973-74 - 1974-75 · 2 seasons
11.7 PPG 11.1 RPG 1.9 APG
155 games
Los Angeles Clippers
1971-72 - 1972-73 · 2 seasons
17.8 PPG 13.8 RPG 1.9 APG
154 games

Stats by season

SeasonTeamGGSMIN PTSREBASTSTLBLK FG%3P%FT%PERWS
1971-72 LAC 78 0 40.8 17.3 15.2 1.4 0.0 0.0 45.4 0.0 53.4 - -
1972-73 LAC 76 0 37.2 18.3 12.4 2.5 0.0 0.0 48.2 0.0 55.8 - -
1973-74 LAL 81 0 36.1 12.5 11.2 1.9 0.9 4.9 45.7 0.0 59.0 14.5 5.9
1974-75 LAL 74 0 31.6 10.9 10.9 2.0 1.1 2.9 49.3 0.0 48.5 15.9 4.7
1977-78 CLE 81 0 24.6 12.5 8.4 0.7 0.6 2.2 49.7 0.0 66.3 19.9 6.8
1978-79 CLE 24 0 13.8 6.5 4.4 0.5 0.3 0.7 53.1 0.0 69.2 14.5 0.3

Transfers & team changes

Derived from season-by-season team membership.

Date Move Type Notes
Oct 1977 Los Angeles Lakers Cleveland Cavaliers offseason From 1974-75 to 1977-78
Jul 1973 Los Angeles Clippers Los Angeles Lakers season change

Similar players

Mychal Thompson Mychal Thompson Center · Portland Trail Blazers 13.5 career PPG Alvan Adams Alvan Adams Center · Phoenix Suns 13.3 career PPG Robert Parish Robert Parish Center · Boston Celtics 14.7 career PPG Neal Walk Neal Walk Center · Phoenix Suns 12.9 career PPG George McGinnis George McGinnis Center · Indiana Pacers 15.1 career PPG Tom Owens Tom Owens Center · Portland Trail Blazers 12.2 career PPG Bob Rule Bob Rule Center · Oklahoma City Thunder 15.5 career PPG Swen Nater Swen Nater Center · Los Angeles Clippers 12.0 career PPG

Born on May 9

Howard Komives 1941 · Sacramento Kings George Wilson 1942 · Philadelphia 76ers Calvin Murphy 1948 · Houston Rockets Jake Jones 1949 · Philadelphia 76ers David Benoit 1968 · Utah Jazz Doug Christie 1970 · Los Angeles Clippers Marcus Webb 1970 · Boston Celtics Dragan Tarlac 1973 · Chicago Bulls

About Elmore Smith

Elmore Smith is an American former professional basketball player born in Macon, Georgia. A 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) center from Kentucky State University, he played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1971 to 1979. He was a member of the Buffalo Braves, Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks, and Cleveland Cavaliers.