Jaleen Smith Explained

Jaleen Smith
Position:Shooting guard / Point guard
Height M:1.93
Weight Lb:205
League:Basketbol Süper Ligi
EuroCup
Team:Bahçeşehir Koleji
Number:0
Birth Date:24 November 1994
Birth Place:Freeport, Texas, U.S.
Nationality:American / Croatian
High School:Brazosport (Freeport, Texas)
College:New Hampshire (2013–2017)
Draft Year:2017
Career Start:2017
Years1:2017–2019
Team1:USC Heidelberg
Years2:2019–2021
Team2:Riesen Ludwigsburg
Years3:2021–2023
Team3:Alba Berlin
Years4:2023
Team4:Virtus Bologna
Years5:2023–2024
Team5:Partizan
Years6:2024–present
Team6:Bahçeşehir Koleji
Highlights:

Jaleen Devon Smith (born November 24, 1994) is an American-born naturalized Croatian professional basketball player for Bahçeşehir Koleji of the Turkish Basketbol Süper Ligi (BSL) and the EuroCup. He played college basketball for the New Hampshire Wildcats.

High school and college career

Smith attended Brazosport High School in his hometown of Freeport, where he played basketball. He went on to play four seasons of college basketball at the University of New Hampshire. As a senior, he averaged 15.8 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game. Smith was a two-time second-team All-America East Conference selection in his sophomore and senior seasons. He finished his college career as Wildcats all-time leader in games played (122). He also ranks fifth in points scored (1,397) and assists made (364). Smith became the first player in Wildcats history to record more than 1,000 points, 260 assists and 600 rebounds.

Club career

After graduating in 2017, Smith started his professional career by signing with German second division club USC Heidelberg on July 2, 2017.[1] On July 21, 2019, Smith moved to Riesen Ludwigsburg of the top-tier Basketball Bundesliga, signing a one-year deal.[2] [3]

For the 2020–21 Basketball Bundesliga season, Smith was elected as Most Valuable Player.[4] He received the award at the same time as his coach John Patrick became Coach of the year. Smith averaged 15.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 1.7 steals per game.[4]

On August 25, 2021, Smith signed a three-year deal with Alba Berlin.[5]

Virtus Bologna (2023)

On July 20, 2023, Smith signed a two-year contract with Virtus Bologna of the Lega Basket Serie A (LBA) and the EuroLeague.[6] On 24 September 2023, after having ousted Olimpia Milano in the semifinals, Virtus won its fourth Supercup, and the third in a row, defeating 97–60 Germani Brescia.[7] On mutual agreement, Smith parted ways with Virtus Bologna mid-season, to join another club.[8] In 13 EuroLeague games with Bologna, he averaged 5.3 points and 1.5 rebounds per game.

Partizan (2023–2024)

On December 24, 2023, Smith signed a one-year contract with Partizan of the Basketball League of Serbia (KLS), the Adriatic League and the EuroLeague.[9] The season was deemed to be unsuccessful for Partizan as they finished the season without lifting any trophy.[10]

Bahçeşehir Koleji (2024–present)

On July 13, 2024, he signed with Bahçeşehir Koleji of the Basketbol Süper Ligi (BSL).[11]

National team career

In July 2022, the Croatian Basketball Federation expressed their interest to naturalize Smith, so he could represent the Croatia national team at the EuroBasket 2022. In August 2022, Smith debuted for Croatia in a friendly against Bulgaria.[12] His first official game was a EuroBasket 2025 pre-qualifier against Poland.[13] Smith is the third naturalized American to play for Croatia, after Dontaye Draper and Oliver Lafayette.[14]

Career statistics

EuroLeague

|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2021–22| style="text-align:left;" rowspan="2"| Berlin| 33 || 17 || 21.0 || .362 || .317 || .933 || 2.2 || 2.3 || .8 || .1 || 8.3 || 6.6|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2022–23| 31 || 27 || 24.6 || .408 || .374 || .836 || 2.7 || 2.6 || .8 || .2 || 11.5 || 10.7|-| style="text-align:left;" rowspan="2"| 2023–24| style="text-align:left;"| Bologna| 13 || 2 || 11.3 || .480 || .483 || .875 || 1.5 || .8 || .5 || .1 || 5.3 || 4.6|-| style="text-align:left;"| Partizan| 7 || 2 || 18.1 || .472 || .389 || 1.000 || 1.7 || 1.3 || .7 || .1 || 6.7 || 6.6|- class="sortbottom"| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career| 84 || 48 || 20.4 || .398 || .361 || .876 || 2.2 || 2.1 || .7 || .1 || 8.9 || 7.8

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Jaleen Smith ist der nächste NeuzugangZukunft. mlp-academics-heidelberg.de. de. July 2, 2017. July 25, 2023.
  2. News: Jaleen Smith wird Ludwigsburger. Riesen Ludwigsburg. de. July 21, 2019. July 25, 2023.
  3. News: Jürgen Frey . Der König der Riesen und sein Traum von der NBA. April 30, 2021 . . March 17, 2021 . German.
  4. https://www.lkz.de/sport/basketball_artikel,-titel-fuer-die-riesen-jaleen-smith-ist-mvp-der-saison-_arid,637260.html Titel für die Riesen: Jaleen Smith ist MVP der Saison
  5. News: Jaleen Smith inks with Alba Berlin . Sportando . August 25, 2021 . August 25, 2021.
  6. News: Jaleen Smith heads to Virtus. EuroLeague. July 20, 2023. July 25, 2023.
  7. https://bologna.repubblica.it/sport/2023/09/24/news/una_virtus_esagerata_stravince_la_supercoppa-415671857/ Una Virtus esagerata stravince la Supercoppa
  8. News: Jaleen Smith officially joined Partizan leaving Virtus Bologna . 17 April 2024 . 24 December 2023.
  9. News: 2023-12-24 . Džejlin Smit je novo pojačanje Partizana Mozzart Bet . sr . KK Partizan . 2023-12-24.
  10. News: Očekuje nas burno leto u Partizanu – ko ostaje, a ko odlazi? . 11 June 2024 . 6 June 2024 . Serbian.
  11. BKBasketbol . 1812084193679012331 . Jaleen Devon Smith, Bahçeşehir Koleji’nde.
  12. Web site: Jaleen Smith debitirao za Hrvatsku, upisana pobjeda od 30 razlike. Croatian. 13 August 2022. 30 August 2022. index.hr.
  13. Web site: Hrvatska velikim preokretom do slavlja protiv Poljske, službeni debi Smitha, Hezonja i Zubac odlučili. Croatian. 25 August 2022. 30 August 2022. germanijak.hr.
  14. Web site: Hrvatska dobiva trećeg Amerikanca na poziciji playmakera: To je zanimljivi igrač berlinske Albe . gol.dnevnik.hr . July 24, 2022.