Where did Marcus Smart attend college? Exploring his post-graduation journey
Before joining the Boston Celtics, Marcus Smart played college basketball for the Oklahoma State Cowboys. He was an impressive player who earned several achievements during his college basketball career.
Smart was a five-star recruit. In 2012, he was listed as the best shooting guard and the 10-best player in his class.
During his freshman year, Smart's team had a 24-8 record and was the No. 5 seed in the Midwest Region of the NCAA Tournament. He averaged 15.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game. Smart also led the Big 12 in steals (99), averaging a staggering 3.0 steals per game.
In 2013, Smart was named Big 12 Conference Player of the Year and was on the First-Team All-American. Later, Smart became the first player in NCAA Tournament history to record 20 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, and five steals in a game.
Marcus Smart was good enough to enter the NBA after his freshman year. However, he decided to stay another year to enjoy college. Smart declared for the NBA draft on April 7, 2014. That year, the Boston Celtics drafted Smart with the sixth overall pick. Since then, the Celtics have made the playoffs every year.
Celtics get Kristaps Porzingis and send Marcus Smart to Grizzlies in 3-team deal
The Boston Celtics have traded Marcus Smart away in a three-team trade. The Celtics reportedly believe that despite Smart being an incredible defensive player, Porginzis will help form a true Big Three alongside Jason Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
Celtics receive:
- Kristaps Porzingis (via Wizards)
- No. 25 pick in the 2023 Draft (via Grizzlies)
- 2024 first-round pick (top-four protected, via Warriors)
Grizzlies receive:
- Marcus Smart (via Celtics)
Wizards receive:
- Tyus Jones (via Grizzlies)
- Danilo Gallinari (via Celtics)
- Mike Muscala (via Celtics)
- No. 35 pick in the 2023 Draft (via Celtics)
Sources: Smart, Porzingis traded in 3-team deal - via @ESPN App espn.com/nba/story/_/id…
Smart averaged 10.6 points, 4.6 assists and 1.6 steals for the Boston Celtics over his career. His defensive skills were a large part of why the Celtics made deep playoff runs over the recent years.
Smart was also the Defensive Player of the Year in 2022. It will be tough for any player in the league to come in and help the Celtics on defense the way that Smart has done for so many years.
Kristaps Porzingis, on the other hand, has averaged 19.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks for his career. He also shoots better than Smart from the field, beyond the arc and the free-throw line.
It is no doubt that Porzingis is a better offensive player than Smart and could still provide value on defense with his sheer size. While not a DPOY, Porzingis is arguably one of the best rim protectors in the league. If it wasn't for injuries, Porzingis could be a recognized top-tier talent by now.
Last season, he played 65 games, and now he could help Boston get over the hump and finally clinch the prestigious NBA title.
The trade has had mixed reactions from Boston Celtics fans. While some of them appreciate signing Porzingis and look forward to next season, others lament the loss of Marcus Smart.