With thirteen franchises to his name (NBA record) and above all a championship title won with the Nuggets last June, Ish Smith has a rather atypical career. It’s on its way to the end, with the playmaker being 35 years old.
As he had not found a club since leaving Denver, he seemed headed for a well-deserved retirement after his 762 regular season appearances. Then his phone rang…
“I was driving to a Wake Forest University football game. I received a phone call from Buzz Peterson (the assistant GM of the Hornets),” he tells Charlotte Observer. “My agent asked me if I wanted to play again. I answered yes. Especially since Charlotte is my home. It’s a perfect situation. »
A story to end
Ish Smith is indeed a native of Charlotte and he has already worn the Hornets jersey, most recently, in 2021/22. He will thus be able to find teammates and, in a way, close the loop.
“I have good relationships here. LaMelo Ball texted me when I won the title and I responded when he signed his big contract. I’m happy to get back in this locker room with these guys. I feel like I have some work to finish here. I was transferred to Washington and it worked out for both sides, but I started to bond with them, to laugh, to joke on plane rides or in the locker room. »
For Steve Clifford, it is above all a reinforcement for his bench, after the injury of Frank Ntilikina, absent for four weeks due to a fractured tibia.
“As soon as we add a player who has this experience, who is a good person, the players in the locker room are happy. They were when they saw Ish Smith. Having a player who is positive is always a good thing,” declares the coach. “He will bring us leadership, with his veteran mentality, by working on a daily basis, by showing things to young people”continues and announces PJ Washington. “We don’t have that many veterans, Ish Smith and Gordon Hayward are the only ones. It’s good to have them, to give us the information we need. »
| Ish Smith | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2010-11 * | All Teams | 43 | 10 | 37.4 | 30.0 | 57.1 | 0.2 | 0.9 | 1.1 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 2.4 |
| 2010-11 * | HOU | 28 | 12 | 38.6 | 37.5 | 70.0 | 0.2 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 2.3 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 2.6 |
| 2010-11 * | SAME | 15 | 8 | 34.4 | 0.0 | 45.5 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 1.8 |
| 2011-12 * | All Teams | 26 | 9 | 38.3 | 33.3 | 70.0 | 0.3 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 2.8 |
| 2011-12 * | ENT | 20 | 9 | 37.3 | 25.0 | 75.0 | 0.3 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 2.3 |
| 2011-12 * | GOS | 6 | 11 | 40.0 | 40.0 | 50.0 | 0.3 | 1.2 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 4.5 |
| 2012-13 * | All Teams | 52 | 10 | 35.2 | 29.6 | 42.9 | 0.2 | 0.9 | 1.2 | 1.7 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 2.4 |
| 2012-13 * | ENT | 36 | 11 | 33.6 | 23.5 | 42.9 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 2.4 |
| 2012-13 * | MIL | 16 | 9 | 39.5 | 40.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 2.4 |
| 2013-14 | PHX | 70 | 14 | 42.3 | 4.3 | 56.4 | 0.4 | 1.4 | 1.8 | 2.6 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 3.7 |
| 2014-15 * | All Teams | 55 | 15 | 39.0 | 30.0 | 59.6 | 0.3 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 3.3 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 1.4 | 0.1 | 6.2 |
| 2014-15 * | OKAY | 30 | 5 | 33.3 | 20.0 | 66.7 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 1.2 |
| 2014-15 * | PHL | 25 | 27 | 39.8 | 30.9 | 58.3 | 0.4 | 2.5 | 2.9 | 6.1 | 1.5 | 1.3 | 2.8 | 0.2 | 12.0 |
| 2015-16 * | All Teams | 77 | 29 | 41.1 | 32.9 | 69.3 | 0.6 | 3.4 | 4.0 | 6.5 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 2.3 | 0.3 | 12.6 |
| 2015-16 * | PHL | 50 | 32 | 40.5 | 33.6 | 66.9 | 0.6 | 3.7 | 4.3 | 7.0 | 1.9 | 1.3 | 2.6 | 0.4 | 14.7 |
| 2015-16 * | NOP | 27 | 23 | 43.0 | 30.3 | 76.7 | 0.5 | 2.9 | 3.4 | 5.7 | 1.4 | 0.9 | 1.7 | 0.2 | 8.9 |
| 2016-17 | DET | 81 | 24 | 43.9 | 26.7 | 70.6 | 0.3 | 2.6 | 2.9 | 5.2 | 1.6 | 0.8 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 9.4 |
| 2017-18 | DET | 82 | 25 | 48.6 | 34.7 | 69.8 | 0.3 | 2.4 | 2.7 | 4.4 | 1.7 | 0.8 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 10.9 |
| 2018-19 | DET | 56 | 22 | 41.9 | 32.6 | 75.8 | 0.4 | 2.2 | 2.6 | 3.6 | 2.0 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 9.0 |
| 2019-20 | W.A.S. | 68 | 26 | 44.7 | 36.7 | 72.1 | 0.4 | 2.8 | 3.2 | 4.9 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 10.9 |
| 2020-21 | W.A.S. | 44 | 21 | 43.4 | 36.7 | 57.6 | 0.5 | 2.9 | 3.4 | 3.9 | 1.4 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 6.7 |
| 2021-22 * | All Teams | 65 | 17 | 43.0 | 37.3 | 62.5 | 0.4 | 1.8 | 2.2 | 3.8 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 6.3 |
| 2021-22 * | CHA | 37 | 14 | 39.5 | 40.0 | 63.2 | 0.3 | 1.2 | 1.5 | 2.7 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 4.5 |
| 2021-22 * | W.A.S. | 28 | 22 | 45.7 | 35.7 | 60.0 | 0.5 | 2.5 | 3.0 | 5.2 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 8.6 |
| 2022-23 | DEN | 43 | 9 | 39.7 | 16.7 | 50.0 | 0.1 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 2.3 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 2.5 |
| Total | 762 | 19 | 42.9 | 32.3 | 67.6 | 0.4 | 2.1 | 2.4 | 3.8 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 7.3 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
