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HOW JOSH BECAME A HAWK: Atlanta retained Smith after matching an offer sheet by the Memphis Grizzlies on August 15, 2008 • Selected by the Hawks with the 17th overall pick (first round) in the 2004 NBA Draft.
LAST SEASON (2010-11): "Atlanta’s Own" produced another solid all-around campaign, as he averaged 16.5 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 3.3 apg, 1.6 bpg and 1.3 spg in 34.3 mpg (.477 FG%, .331 3FG%, .725 FT%) • Ranked 15th in the NBA in bpg, t14th in total blocks (120), 24th in spg, 24th in efficiency (20.5) and t35th in ppg • Also was 18th in the league in rpg and t9th in def. rpg (6.8) • Recorded 31 double-doubles (t13th in NBA), including third career triple-double • Had 26 20-point games, including 2 30-plus efforts • Led the club in bpg, spg and FTM (229), while ranking 2nd in FG%, ppg and rpg, and 3rd in apg • Team-leader in rebounding 34 times, scoring 20 times and assists on 15 occasions • Scored 18.8 ppg on .517 FG% in Feb. • Hauled in a season-high 18 rebs to go along with 13 pts, 8 assts, 2 blks and 1 stl @Clev (3/27) • Recorded 33 pts and 12 rebs @Phil (3/23) • Had 29 pts and 16 rebs @Wash (2/5) • Tied season-highs in FTM (9) and 3FGM (3), scoring 22 pts @LAC (1/2) • Put in season-best 34 pts (plus 7 assts) on a season-high 14-16 FGs (2-2 3FGs) and 4-7 FTs v/NJ (12/7) • According to Elias Sports Bureau, was the first Hawk to score that many points on that high of a FG pct (87.5%) in over 55 years, since Hall-of-Famer Bob Pettit scored 34 (12-13 FGs) on 3/14/55 • Recorded the third triple-double of his career @Tor (11/28) - 12 pts, 13 rebs and season-best 10 assts, adding 3 stls and 2 blks • Tallied 21 pts and a season-best 5 stls v/Dall (11/20) • Posted 25 pts and a season-high 7 blks, adding 8 rebs @Ind (11/16) • Hit milestones in points (7,000 v/Clev 12/22), rebounds (4,000 @Den 2/28), assists (1,500 @Dall 1/29) and games (500 @Mia 1/18) • Ranks 2nd in Hawks history in blks (1,189), 6th in stls (670) and def. rebs (2,996), 9th in off rebs (1,140) and 11th in rebs (4,136) • Missed five games due to a sprained right knee (3/2-3/4, 4/5-4/9) • SEASON HIGHS: 34 pts v/NJ (12/7), 18 rebs @Clev (3/27), 10 assts @Tor (11/28), 5 stls v/Dall (11/20), 7 blks @Ind (11/16), 45 mins @Phoe (2/23), 14 FGM v/NJ (12/7), 3 3FGM (2x), 9 FTM (2x).
PROFESSIONAL CAREER: Through seven years in the NBA, Smith has averages of 14.6 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 3.0 apg, 2.2 bpg and 1.3 spg (.466 FG%, .282 3FG%, .675 FT%) in 534 career games (512 starts) • He has missed 31 career games because of injury or illness, two for a league suspension (flagrant foul) and two due to team suspension • CAREER HIGHS: 38 pts @Milw (11/17/07), 22 rebs v/Hou (3/12/08), 11 assts v/Det (3/13/10), 7 stls v/Dall (2/26/10), 10 blks @Dall (12/18/04), 51 mins v/Mia (11/18/06), 15 FGM v/Wash (1/11/08), 4 3FGM (2x), 12 FTM @Milw (11/17/07) • 2009-10: Runner-up for NBA Defensive Player of the Year, and All-Defensive second team member finished the campaign with averages of 15.7 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 4.2 apg, 2.1 bpg and 1.6 spg in 35.4 mpg (.505 FG%, .618 FT%), appearing in 81 games for the second time in the last three years • Was the only player in the league to average at least 15.0 ppg, 8.0 rpg and 4.0 apg • Ranked 3rd in the NBA in bpg and total blocks (173), 18th in rpg, t12th in off. rpg (2.8), 11th in spg, t24th in FG%, 33rd in apg and t38th in mpg • Became youngest player in NBA history to reach 1,000 blocks at 24 years, 59 days on 2/2 @OKC • The shortest player in the top 12 in the league in blocks, and the tallest in the top 12 in steals • 2008-09: Put up averages of 15.6 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 2.4 apg, 1.6 bpg and 1.4 spg in 35.1 mpg (.492 FG%, .299 3FG%, .588 FT%), starting 69 times • Smith ranked 13th in the NBA in bpg and t29th in FG% • Team leader in bpg and total blocks • Became the youngest player in NBA history (23 yrs, 1 day) to reach 800 career blocked shots on 12/6 @Dall • Posted 20 double-doubles • Scored in double-figures 57 times, including 17 20-point efforts and two 30-point nights • 2007-08: Finished sixth in voting for NBA Defensive Player of the Year, receiving 34 points (including one first-place vote, six second-place, 11 third-place) and also received votes for the All-Defensive team • Averaged 17.2 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 3.4 apg, 2.8 bpg, 1.5 spg and 35.5 mpg (.457 FG%, .710 FT%) in 81 starts • He ranked second in the NBA in bpg for the second straight season, 16th in spg (the only player in the league in the top 16 of both) and 26th in rpg • Finished the season with a 32-game blocked shot streak, after having a run of 76 consecutive (eighth-best in NBA history) snapped v/Mia (12/19) • 2006-07: Smith not only raised his scoring average every month of the '06-'07 season, he tallied 20.3 ppg in March and 21.1 ppg in April • On the year, he averaged 16.4 points, 8.6 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.9 blocks, 1.4 steals and 36.8 minutes (.439 FG%, .250 3FG%, .693 FT%) in 72 games (all starts) • Smith was second in the NBA in blocked shots per game and 19th in steals with 1.4 spg • He was one of only three players (along with Phoenix's Shawn Marion and Chicago's Ben Wallace) who ranked in the Top 20 in rebounds (14th), steals and blocks • Not only did he lead the club in blocks and rebounds, he finished second in scoring and steals, and third in assists and minutes played • Smith had a team-best 32 double-doubles (t19th in the NBA, pts/rebs) • On Mar. 3, Smith became the youngest player in NBA history (21 years/88 days) to reach the 500 career block level • He led the team in scoring 19 times, rebounding 35 occasions and assists 15 times • Scored 20 or more points 27 times • Smith missed eight games due to injury (hernia surgery, 12/26 - 1/10) • 2005-06: Elevated his game tremendously from the flashy slam-dunker that brought him the most attention as a rookie, Smith expanded his talents on both ends of the floor • Averaged 11.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.6 blocks, 2.4 assists and 32.0 minutes (.425 FG%, .309 3FG%, .719 FT%) in 80 games (73 starts) during his second NBA season • He led the Hawks in blocked shots, finishing 2nd in the NBA in total rejections (208) and 4th in blocks per game • Smith became only the fourth Hawk - and first non-center - to post 200 blocks in one year, joining Dikembe Mutombo, Theo Ratliff and Tree Rollins • Among team leaders, Smith ranked 3rd in rebounds (t37th in NBA), and 4th in scoring and assists • After falling short in three-pointers made over the first 49 games, Smith knocked down 34 triples over the final 31 games • He notched 11 double-doubles on the season • Reached double-figures in points 41 times and rebounds on 17 occasions • Posted team-high rebounding honors 16 times • Missed two games in December as a result of a league-imposed suspension • Participated in the slam dunk contest for the second consecutive season • Named to the NBA All-Rookie second team (2004-05) after averaging 9.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.0 blocks, 1.7 assists and 27.7 minutes (.455 FG%, .688 FT%) in 74 games • Led the Hawks in blocked shots, was 12th in the NBA and first among all rookies • He finished 5th on the club in points and 2nd in rebounding • Among rookies, finished 8th in scoring, 3rd in rebounding, tied for 12th in assists, 10th in steals, tied for 9th in field goal percentage and 5th in efficiency rating • Posted 10 double-doubles (fourth among rookies) • In his 59 starts, Smith put up 10.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.2 blocks and 1.9 assists (.450 FG%, .686 FT%) • During a December (18th) game at Dallas, he rejected an NBA season-high 10 shots - becoming the youngest player in league history to achieve that feat • In addition, he was the third NBA player to ever block 10 or more without committing a personal foul • Won the Sprite Rising Stars Slam Dunk contest on All-Star Weekend in Denver - joining former Hawks high-flyers Dominique Wilkins (1985 and 1990) and Anthony "Spud" Webb (1986) as Slam Dunk champs • Smith also participated in the got milk? Rookie Challenge that weekend, totaling 12 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 block in 24 minutes (4-8 FGs, 4-4 FTs).
PLAYOFF HISTORY: Smith has played and started in 41 career playoff contests, with averages of 15.5 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 2.6 apg, 2.0 bpg and 1.2 spg (.426 FG%, .699 FT%) • In the 2011 postseason versus Orlando and Chicago, started all 12 games, and averaged 15.1 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 2.9 apg, 2.1 bpg and 1.1 spg in 36.5 mpg (.404 FG%, .597 FT%) • Appeared in all 11 contests in the 2010 playoffs, averaging 14.1 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 2.6 apg, 1.7 bpg and 1.2 spg in 35.6 mpg (.481 FG%, .659 FT%) versus Milwaukee and Orlando • In 11 starts in the ’09 postseason vs. Miami and Cleveland, averaged a team-high 17.1 ppg, team-best 7.5 rpg, 2.2 apg, 1.6 bpg and 1.1 spg in 37.3 mpg (.421 FG%, .732 FT%) • Poured in 21 pts to go along with 9 rebs in decisive Game seven first round win over Miami • Started all seven first round playoff games against Boston (2008 Playoffs), averaging 15.7 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 2.9 apg, 2.9 bpg and 1.7 spg (.398 FG%, .841 FT%) in 33.9 mpg • Followed up a then playoff career high of 27 points in Game 3 (on 11-17 FGs, in addition to 9 rebs and 6 assts) with 28 points in Game 4 (on 8-16 FGs, and 6 rebs and 7 blks ) • A defensive terror in game four, Smith's seven rejections eclipsed a franchise playoff mark previously shared by Tree Rollins and Dikembe Mutombo • Ranks 4th in Hawks playoff history in FTM (158), 2nd in FTA (226), 6th in rebs (328), t6th in games played (41) and 7th in FGA (547) • PLAYOFF CAREER HIGHS: 28 pts v/Bos (4/28/08), 16 rebs v/Chi (5/8/11), 9 assts v/Milw (4/20/10), 3 stls (4x), 7 blks v/Bos (4/28/08), 45 mins v/Clev (5/11/09), 11 FGM v/Bos (4/26/08), 3 3FGM v/Bos (4/26/08), 12 FTM v/Bos (4/28/08).
HIGH SCHOOL CAREER: Smith transferred to Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, VA) for his senior season, after attending McEachern High School in Powder Springs, GA for three years • Originally committed to play at Indiana University before declaring for the draft • Named a 2004 McDonald's All-American and played in the McDonald's High School All-America game • Named to the PARADE All-America Team, and was selected to the 2004 USA Men's Junior National Select Team • Excelled in several postseason all-star games, including the EA Sports Roundball Classic (15 points) and the Nike Hoop Summit (27 points), where he was named the MVP after leading the USA Select Team to a 99-79 win over the World Select squad • As a senior (2003-04 ) at Oak Hill, Smith set a single-season school record for most points scored with 980 • He was a finalist for the 2004 Naismith Award, leading the team to a 38-0 mark and a No. 1 national ranking • Averaged 25.8 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 6.0 bpg and 3.0 spg, shooting 61 percent from the field and 70 percent from the charity stripe • In his junior season (2002-03) , put in 20.6 ppg, 11.6 rpg, 6.0 bpg and 4.0 apg • Was named MVP of the ABCD Camp in the summer of 2003 • Tallied 19.8 ppg, 9.4 rpg and 3.5 apg as a sophomore (2001-02) • Smith was a two-time All-State selection at McEachern.
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