Rik Smits

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Rik Smits started playing basketball at age 14 at PSV–Almonte in Eindhoven, then left for the United States in 1984 to play for Marist College. In 1986, he led Marist to the ECAC Metro Conference tournament Championship and their first NCAA tournament in school history. The next year, he led the Red Foxes to 20 wins for the first time in its Division I history and another NCAA appearance. Smits briefly appeared in the 1988 film Coming to America during a scene filmed in 1987 while Marist played against St. John's at Madison Square Garden. Drafted second overall in 1988 by the Indiana Pacers, Smits originally backed up Steve Stipanovich. When Stipanovich suffered a career-ending injury, Smits started 71 games in his rookie year, averaging 11.7 points and 6.1 rebounds per game and earning All-Rookie First Team honors. He averaged double-digit point totals every year of his career, but it wasn't until the 1993–94 season that he came into his own as a team leader. Throughout the Pacers' playoff runs in the mid and late 1990s, Smits was considered the number two player, behind Reggie Miller, on the deeply talented Pacers.

In Their Own Story

On 10 December 1995, Smits scored a career-high 44 points during a 111–104 win over the Los Angeles Clippers. That season he averaged a career-best 18.5 points per game. In Game 4 of the 1995 Eastern Conference Finals, he made a buzzer-beating shot to tie the series, endearing himself to Pacers fans with outstanding playoff performances. Smits was named to the Eastern Conference All-Star Team in 1998, delivering ten points, seven rebounds and four assists, including a behind-the-back pass to New Jersey Nets forward Jayson Williams who followed immediately with a slam dunk. Unable to find shoes in his size growing up in the Netherlands, Smits developed nerve damage in his feet from wearing tight shoes as a teenager. Foot problems hobbled him for the majority of his career, and he retired at the conclusion of the Pacers' 1999–2000 season, after Indiana was defeated by the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals 4 games to 2. After four surgeries to repair nerve damage to his feet, Smits underwent intensive back surgery in November 2009 to correct cracks in one joint that link his vertebrae. He has also undergone arthroscopic surgery on his left knee and had bone chips removed from his left ankle. Smits was selected to the Pacers' 40th Anniversary Team, chosen by the fans, ending up with the fourth most votes, trailing only Reggie Miller, Mel Daniels, and Jermaine O'Neal.

Reader's Guide

Rik Smits spent his entire professional career playing for the Indiana Pacers. His highest point-per-game average was in 1995–96 when he averaged 18.5 points per game. He was named an NBA All-Star in 1998 and reached the NBA Finals in 2000. Smits also played for the senior Netherlands national team, appearing in the 1986 FIBA World Championship and EuroBasket 1987. After retirement, Smits devoted his time to collecting and racing vintage motocross motorcycles. On 30 November 2011, he was featured in Yahoo! Sports about his formal participation in competitive motocross racing. In 2007 he appeared on an episode of Pros vs. Joes. In 2008 he won the AHRMA Vintage National Premier 500 Intermediate Class riding a BSA 500. Smits has two children: a daughter named Jasmine, who is the Player Relations Coordinator for the Indiana Pacers and the Pacers farm team Noblesville Boom, and a son named Derrik, listed at 2.16 m (7 ft 1 in) and 111 kg (245 lb), who played for Valparaiso University from 2016 to 2019 and played his final season at Butler University in 2019–20.

Did You Know?

• Smits briefly appeared in the 1988 film Coming to America during a scene filmed in 1987 while Marist played against St. John's at Madison Square Garden.
• He scored a career-high 44 points on 10 December 1995 during a 111–104 win over the Los Angeles Clippers.
• Smits made a buzzer-beating shot in Game 4 of the 1995 Eastern Conference Finals to tie the series.
• Unable to find shoes in his size growing up in the Netherlands, Smits developed nerve damage in his feet from wearing tight shoes as a teenager.
• In 2008, Smits won the AHRMA Vintage National Premier 500 Intermediate Class riding a BSA 500.