Josh Smith: From Rising Young Star → Chucker

At one point in the mid-2000s, Josh Smith was a rising young star. Unfortunately, he never reached the level that he was expected to. Hope you enjoy the video!
I make all kinds of NBA videos which include trivia, analysis, player stories, countdowns, conspiracies, and mysteries. Make sure to leave a like and subscribe if you enjoyed this video!
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► Music:
On The Cool Side by Kevin MacLeod
Eternity by Kevin MacLeod
Available under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license. Find all of his songs and download them for free here: incompetech.com
► Sources:
Stats and box-scores from Basketball-Reference.com and NBA.com
#nba

[@SoberBob559]

Josh Smith was easily one of the most OP people in 2K13

[@orbitprodutions]

2k13 he was a beast .____. Basically Lebron #2

[@Manu-qq2im]

2k14 too and everytime i play season mode, he’s top 5 sf in the east in all star votes. Sometimes higher than that.

[@SynyrG]

In 2K14, he would intercept every pass, strip the ball from you, greatly contest your shot, dunk on you, and make like every single jumper he took 😭😭

[@hellnaw7921]

I recently played MyCareer against the Hawks in 2k13 and this man dropped 40 points and 10 rebounds on me. It's scary to play against him

[@TheGemGaming19]

@@hellnaw7921 dang lol

[@RideWitMe1]

Josh Smith who brought the Rockets back from a 3-1 deficit against the Clippers in the playoffs.

[@TheIcemanthomas]

it wasnt just him. Howard, and Terry went crazy too.

[@NigelsFunhouse]

Those threes he was dropping were insane

[@bjones9107]

Everyone forgets this

[@jlpeng9036]

and lou will

[@jackyellow]

and brewer

[@TheJanvicgwaps]

Joe Johnson and Josh Smith way back in Atlanta bruh god im old

[@MsTrenchbullbabydaddy]

Gorilla Toupee he’s not underrated, Joe gets his respect.. Now he’s in the Big 3 looking like he can still be in the league

[@JoeBro915]

TopWaver MLK that man did not age. I got to meet him in Brooklyn

[@prince_sach50]

Joe Johnson highly underrated

[@proshit707]

They were nice way back in the day

[@jocraklin17]

Al horford and teague too

[@mig.z]

Josh Smith was the best sidekick along Chris Smoove. Number 27 to number 21, Houston we have a problem!

[@prince_sach50]

2K14 GOOD TIMES

[@00Mking]

Miguel Cruz 2K12 DAAAAMN THE MEMORIES

[@TheIcemanthomas]

SMOOVE TO SMOOVE CONNECTION

[@KIDDGRIFF]

I still read it with the Chris smoove flow till this day 😂😂

[@underachiever8532]

Loved his mw3 days

[@lile4life713]

As Chris Smoove would say !!! J SMOOOVE TO CHRIS SMOOVE I MISS THOSE DAYS

[@Eliras24]

Damn it man you've said it

[@doctorsechs]

NUMBAH 27 TO NUMBAH 21 HOUSTON WE HAVE A PROBLEM

[@zacflemo1994]

Number 27 to Number 21 Houston we gotta problom

[@dopeking-2903]

How you like this L O B. C I T Y music

[@xslumpedtra7655]

Number 27 to number 21 Houston we have a problems

[@FoshoTheOne]

Called him “J Smoove” 😂 haven’t heard that nickname in a long time...

[@slattt8454]

Josh Smith will be remembered as one the most op players on 2k12-14

[@mkratos17]

2k11 too

[@mvp4t]

Danny granger

[@Smikes]

The NBA 2k13 MVP.

[@suiken3149]

If Josh Smith had a high IQ, he'd be a first ballot HOF.

[@juggsandmagsss9397]

Andy, you are a legend. I have been wanting a Josh Smith video for the longest. People forget that back in the day, this man was a walking highlight. Dunks, blocks, he was raw

[@niggato23]

The Atlanta days when there was Jamal Crossover, Iso Joe, Al Horford, and Jeff Teague and btw I live in Georgia and from Georgia

[@mattj.9285]

I'm a long time Hawks fan and the last year he was in ATL, I went to a game where we were playing the Warriors, and Josh kept chucking up J's and all of us in the crowd were yelling "No!" every time he shot, it got that bad.

[@brotherLee340]

Lol yep. I remember those times. Just didn't make sense. He was very hard headed.

[@StarNBars94]

I remember those days with everyone collectively groaning whenever he'd chuck up a shot lol

[@brettfloyd4291]

I watched him as a teen growing up. I loved how he played, except for his shot selection. I remember constant contested fades with 17 on the shot clock, while two other competent scorers were open. Needless to say, I was a beast with that team in 2k, cause I could curb that shit. Hawks coaching staff irl, not so much.

[@nathanlawson313]

And then we took him in Detroit and he started chucking even more...

[@janoblie432]

I remember that 😂

[@leokizzo3515]

Josh Smith’s performance in game 5 of the 2015 Semi Confercne finals vs the clippers while Houston was down 3-1 was one of the most shocking things I’ve watched in all my years of nba basketball. He looked like Ray Allen out there and saved Houston who eventually won the series

[@paligula.]

just a few years later everyone would love him shooting threes, he did win playoff games shooting threes, lets not forget that rockets clippers game comeback while harden was benched

[@pubghero1754]

Harden was about to check in when the quarter started but josh smith went the fuck off. I caught that game after work when I was still in school lol

[@hoodiejelo6456]

In 2k14 him and Brandon Jennings on the pistons was nasty 😟

[@dougie301]

Detroit World Television facts that pistons team low key produced a few champions. Too bad they’d when on other teams though

[@RafsanS15]

Monroe and Drummond were lit too at 2k14, having a hard time to outrebounded em

[@dominiquejones3805]

Jennings n Milwaukee!!!!!

[@RafsanS15]

@@dominiquejones3805 Jennings at 2k14 was walking bucket

[@Meladelic]

josh smith was my fav player when i was getting into basketball

[@theopulentone1573]

Mine too.

[@Ecuador006]

Same

[@bobbydahill840]

Number 27 to number 21 Hous-ton we have pro-blem

[@HTXLemarc]

Deez Nuts what maneuver could possible me smoover

[@1kpgc61]

😂

[@jiby911]

As a rockets fan, I'll never forget that incredible comeback fueled by Smith against the clippers. I'll always stay a fan of J Smoove!

[@ragingvirus31]

One of my favorite players just watching highlights of him earlier wondering if you already made a video of him and here we are.Thanks Andy.

[@patricseventeen4615]

Please make a video about Mike Bibby. He’s probably one of the most under appreciated players of all time. Carrying the Kings and and not making an all star appearance in his entire career.

[@rayjameson937]

😸😸 Really bruh bruh, Bibby, carrying that Kings team who already had webber, peja, cortliss williamson, turkoglu, divac, bobby jackson... do i continue.... 🥴

[@dakliq420]

For the longest time I always assumed Bibby made the All Star team once,because I'm thinking "of course he would,he's Mike Bibby,one of the best guards in the game". And to my surprise,the man never got on. It's a damn shame.

[@ballhead1150]

Josh Smith was the first nba player I liked. He got me interested in basketball and I thank him for that. Sad to see his career end like that. Always will be one of my favorite players of all time.

[@WildmontGaming]

Bro i use to love him and joe Johnson on my hawks growing up

[@chalkzone0]

The 2009-2010 hawks was a really underrated team there starting lineup was insane mike Bobby, joe Johnson, Marvin Williams, josh smith and al horford

[@mcnalga]

Unfortunately they were never good enough to beat the rest of the better Eastern Conference teams.

[@qdotsg]

They had some great battles with those Celtics teams

[@karlpolvos10]

Q-Dot yeap and with miami

[@tunadablue3521]

Also Jamal Crawford

[@dominiquejones3805]

Took the Big 3 2 7 games

[@canineuniversity1015]

I remember the Atlanta fans would boo him everytime he shot. He was shooting like 20% yet he somehow thought he was a stud 3 point shooter

[@LechuzaSoul]

Lakers vs hawks was my first game to go watch live man smith, Horford, Johnson man what a team

[@aggelosmplatsiotis2568]

I remember he was quite unguardable in 2k14

[@harrischoudhary]

2:29 Dwight Howard going for that block just looks different. 💪

[@A-small-amount-of-peas]

I did a franchise back in the day with the Hawks on NBA 2k. Josh Smith, Joe Johnson and Marvin Williams became BEASTS under my guidance 😂

[@Ecuador006]

Nets trio can easily outplay your hawks

[@yijlee501]

Loved his jump shot in 2k14 lmao

[@SuperKDLS]

Yij Lee I used to piss my boys off because I’d hit multiple 3s a game with him 😂😂

[@nbabackcourtmedia]

The man really looked like a mini LeBron due to his strength and athleticism. I remember him most on the Pistons with Greg Monroe (back when he was good too). Actually doing a Create A Legend with him on 2k13. He could’ve still been good today if he could’ve become either a decent shooter or an elite off ball cutter at the PF and small ball C. Also if he realized what his flaws were.

[@Juwellz18]

He's a example of being highly talented, but not putting in the work to become greater than what he already was.

[@AndreaBaixinho]

A lot of players drafted out of high school had very strange careers... Josh Smith, JR Smith, Bynum, Telfair, Webster... it seems that if you're drafted out of high school you can't be a reliable player (with a few exceptions of course)

[@sports-mania1241]

It's sad he wasn't an All-Star Great Video I was wating a while for someone to post this I made a video a while back it's good 2 c people still Remember him!!

[@nathanlawson313]

Did you really say it's sad? Do you realize how bad and selfish he got? Watch this... kzbin.info/www/bejne/raTUeIenoa2lma8

[@klu320]

Andy! Can you please do "How Good Was Monta Ellis" and his downfall.

[@bfelt33]

he just got old haha , happens

[@klu320]

@@bfelt33 he's just 33 my man.

[@bfelt33]

@@klu320 im a pacer fan , pretty sure that was the last team he was with. his game was build on athleticism. u can loose lose that in your later 20s, add injury to that and its a wrap

[@klu320]

@@bfelt33 had to retire in 2017 at the age of 31.

[@andyvelasquez9488]

He was alright but a huge ballhog!!!

[@erikson2789]

My former coach ( im from Barcelona) saw j Smith play with OAK Hill in a tournament in Barcelona and he said me, Rondo will be a allstar but he didnt say anything about Josh. I remember the slam dunk contest in Denver05' he did a special contest with 2 or 3 nasty dunks.

[@christiancayabyab5899]

Josh Smith looks like a god mode in Houston when he help the Rockets break a 3-1 deficit.

[@MattParks00]

The Joe&Josh in Atlanta was damn good. Men they were so underrated

[@KIDDGRIFF]

Being hawks fan was so great with him iso joe horford and mike bibby. I’ll never forget watching his game winning putback against Orlando on tv. Josh was just so athletic and crazy.

[@ericphillips6708]

Josh Smith was a good NBA player. Detroit is where he got a fat contract but just didn't play good.

[@detroittigers1282]

I remember when my Pistons brought in Smith, Joe D. who I love was so desperate after being screwed with the payroll freeze for two years during ownership change that he was just throwing stuff up against the wall, acquired Smith, Brandon Jennings and named Maurice Cheeks head coach.

[@jacob9538]

I wish I could binge watch your videos but I can't stand hearing the same exact music all the time (the "bewww...beer da deer doo-dewww").

[@shermanngjazz]

JSmooth should've just used more post moves and bully people in the paint

[@najeenixon1834]

He was a victim of playing in an era where Bigs were being trained to play outside the post. If he had been in the league a decade earlier, his game probably would've been better.

[@jkpwd]

Stan Van Gundy kept trying to make him a jump shooter

[@brothaj3476]

smith is the guy on 2k that is a defending slasher but plays like a shot creator

[@darrylmata4025]

The comeback he did against the clippers was the highlight of his career.

[@bosslax3162]

He was a great player who could rebound and play defense at an excellent level. He even had enough of an offensive game to not be a liability on that end.

[@rjcarless]

Sad thing is he'd be a great small-boy 5 in today's NBA. Just played in the wrong era.

[@John-wb1ny]

I don’t know the dude was a bad perimeter defender. His blocks were on traditional centers and power forwards, he was never tasked to switch. I think josh smith was destined to what he was, an above average athletic big. His shooting really held him back.

[@_Paul_N]

This guy literally gave up after securing a big $$$ bag in Detroit lol. I loved watching him posterize people in Atlanta.

[@christianjames6256]

This dude was unstoppable in 2k11 no cap!

[@luischavez1260]

Josh smith could have been in the NBA right now if some coach could change his jump shot .

[@brotherLee340]

Thats very hard to do

[@TheOfficialChicoCas]

I still play Association on 2K14 and started with a fantasy draft and he was my first pick. I've won 2 championships and going for a 3peat. My starting 5 is Isaiah Thomas, Danny Geen, Thaddeus Young, Josh Smith and Anderson Verejao.

[@bangobuck8722]

I can’t believe there was a time when Josh Smith, Greg Monroe, and Andre Drummond were all on the court at the same time on the same team

[@barrettlovett2238]

I remember them beating the super team Heat with ease during the regular season with height and athleticism.

[@breezy3054]

Those hawks teams back in the day ❤️ memories

[@humphrey8840]

That LeBron LITE cracked me in laughter LMAO

[@warbeast1715]

🤣

[@nekow1785]

I’ll never forget what he did to the Clippers. I was in awe watching that.

[@jkjames5051]

Oh man as a pistons fan I was pretty pumped when we got him then after watching the actual games it was ridiculous how many times he would throw up a threw

[@gunkmangeezy3741]

Mike budenholzer could’ve fixed all of dat🤦🏾‍♂️

[@brotherLee340]

I wish the Hawks would've kept Bud. He would've been perfect for Trae young

[@solascriptura-e7t]

Hawks fan since '97. I miss JSmoove.....when he would play to his strengths.

[@Ecuador006]

Vince had good seasons with hawks

[@jankokocbek2007]

I totally remember his first seasons. Man, he jump high and made those tomahawks jams for a dime night in night out!!! And then all of a sudden he vanished. Such a shame for him. And Atlanta rocke the league back then!!!

[@DavidBoy333]

I do believe a go to move like a 1 dribble pull up jump shot like what Melo used to do or developing a post up Kobe style fade away would have changed his entire career. Most players that relied solely on their athleticism usually dont stay in their prime long enough. Lebrons shooting has improved a lot throughout his career and even Blake Griffin is starting to shoot more often.

[@Bellic25]

if zion dont improve his jumpshot and shit he will go the same route as j smoove

[@KOCChristian]

Bellic25 fr actually good comparison

[@lootman7283]

Bellic25 josh smith is probably the best comparison to zion

[@mertacar5668]

285 pound guy vs 210 pound guy, yeap they are soo close...

[@welpyeet8307]

@@mertacar5668 their strenght and weaknesses are the same not their fat

[@brotherLee340]

Zion is more skilled at a younger age. I remember when Josh Smith couldn't even dribble lol. Plus Zion can atleast hit a set jump shot.

[@moonshinei]

Josh Smith: Tobias Harris with a 40% margin of error in midrange

[@darkth3j0k3r_2]

I think if he played in today's NBA he would fit in better. He was just a player before his time.

[@thesavavage101]

Do a video about Brooklyn nets super team please

[@Tiazz.]

Gio Sanchez I second this

[@Dreamerland101]

I third this

[@thesavavage101]

Thanks to everyone who thumbs up this comment I hope ANDY knows how many people want a video about this topic

[@edwinbetancourt3958]

What super team??? Dreams man, dreams!!! Any video on that topic would be ridiculous 😂 Let the people actually play together first. Fans are too eager to start day dreaming FFS

[@bxla1]

Finally a video on him he’s so underrated

[@nazeefchowdhury2226]

Can you do a video on Andre igoudalas career? Thanks man keep up the great videos

[@bjones9107]

Real talk, Josh smith played some of his best basketball in Houston, his chemistry with Dwight Howard was off the charts and he was a good “Point Forward”

[@brotherLee340]

True but he was inconsistent. One game they looked amazing. Next game they would be trash.

[@justinle8787]

He could have been a better version of Draymond if developed right. The man was forced to play on the wing way too much and he can't shoot for real

[@mkratos17]

If he played with better guards it would have forced teams to defend the perimeter and letting him drive the lane more

[@301larussomusic]

Lol he made that choice

[@LamontBoucherville]

He's way better than Draymond

[@edwinmerced552]

Zion reminds me of him really athletic lefties average shooters at best underrated passers and defenders they are really similar in playstyle

[@frezing000]

No disrespect to the pros but why is it so hard for certain guys to hit mids and free throws

[@MacDeeDrumz]

T Wolf it’s all about how they practice... or if the coach has them go through training... but it’s more mental cause really a lot players have a lot strength and it’s hard trying to not use all of your strength in a shot...

[@FOOTZ_213]

One reason- Shooting form

[@andrewcoffey6072]

Size of their hands

[@tylerjohn2599]

T Wolf some pros have skills other have height

[@grimsniperr4872]

Do a top 5 most underrated players of the 90s Kevin johnson Mark Price John Hot Rod Williams Alex English Etc

[@jaydav6521]

@Gorilla Toupee he would be

[@bantubeoprah]

Wow this is a shit list lol

[@jaybrown7811]

Stacey augmon and voshon Leonard

[@nbabackcourtmedia]

Grim Sniperr Ron Harper

[@erikp806]

Grim Sniperr “etc” lmao

[@uniquegamer5139]

Honestly he came into the league at the wrong time. In todays game there's no question he would be a PF instead of being forced to play the perimeter. His defensive versatility to switch would be valued and he wouldn't be shooting mid range shots. He could play the pick and roll and finish at or above the rim or pop out to the 3 where they could've focused on that area.

[@FunGuy02626]

He would have been a great player today if he played during his younger days in this time where 6'9 power forwards are relevant.

[@DungarooTV]

Please do a video on J.R Smith!

[@DungarooTV]

@John Gittings Totally agree! JR Smith can certainly play is very athletic and can actually get hot real quick but I think he just didn't have the passion to want to win or be the best they he could + he isn't the brightest tool in the shed either!

[@jkpwd]

Josh smith, Will Bynum and Anthony Morrow in the Big 3 on the same team ballin!! Plus the Pistons are still payin josh 😎

[@GeorgeAdventures]

Andrew Wiggins is going through the same route

[@jovanbelegisanin289]

Except Wiggins is a horrendous defender, but also a much better shooter for 3.

[@teejaygray7871]

Wiggins is an all around offensive player

[@marcellis7002]

Back when the slam dunk contest was lit. 😅

[@karlpolvos10]

one of the few left-handed players that had the lowest fg %

[@andrenapitupulu9499]

Either too late or wrong team, I believe he would thrive in today's Warriors or Rockets system as an athletic 5

[@sawyertuide7636]

Warriors probably, as Kerr would’ve got him to fix his shot selection. He’d be taking dumb ass shots with D’Antoni.

[@CommonSenseless1993]

Josh Smith was one of the most exciting players in the league in the mid-2000s when I was in high school. He’s one of the most under appreciated dunkers of that era along with Jason Richardson. The NBA was evolving and he just couldn’t keep up.

[@ojeyston]

I thought manute bol had 15 blocks in his rookie season

[@Jeffman529]

And Malcom brogdon won rookie of the year even though he was like 23. Doing something in someone's first year doesn't mean they were younger than someone in say their third year

[@pubghero1754]

Jeffery Davis I’m weak 😂😂

[@jallday3000]

What happened to frank nitty? The drew league mvp.

[@ritvikdutta4824]

Remember Chris Smoove calling him JSmoove?

[@Doknot-tb9ey]

Josh Smith used to be a beast in ATL. Til this day, the Pistons are still paying him.

[@tylake.]

How good was rip Hamilton actually?!?

[@rayp4986]

😂😂😂 Nobody called him “LeBron-Lite” 🤣

[@GaryTurbo]

I remember when he tried to shoot a long range shot and the fans chanted, "NO!!!"

[@SmoothCriminal12]

Did they seriously do that?

[@GaryTurbo]

Yes

[@jib4733]

5:55. When u said piss poor it reminded me of when captain price says that in mw2 and 3 when u miss ur shots. Thx for reminding me

[@shotokhan1992]

if he wasn't so stubborn and had real coaches, he could've aged like iguodala and been a key player on a championship team

[@Seahawkfan1108]

Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, Al Horford......god damn i'm getting old.

[@John仰望十架的栋栋]

He and Dwight tried to develop some shooting skills (Josh wants to have 3 pointers and Dwight wants to have mid jumper and post moves) , somehow they just can not learn them.

[@ronron291]

He wanted to play like joe johnson with pretty smooth jumpers. It was not his game. Stay in ur lane

[@cococock2418]

Smith's problem was that he thought he was a stretch big when he wasn't. I don't blame Mike Woodson or any other coach, it was painfully obvious Smith wanted so bad to be a Lebron or Durant like player. 6'9 with his size and dribbling ability was more than big enough to bang inside. He should have developed a post game instead of forcing mid range jumpers (worst % shot in the game) and threes. A post game + his passing skills, handles, and driving/dunking ability, he could have been great. His stats always made him look better than he was too. It's only when you get into more advanced analytics that you see he was pretty much always a detriment to his team while on the court. Clowns who see that he was a near 20 ppg scorer with 9 boards and 5 assists a game wouldn't know this and would just use those base stats to argue that he was a greay player. Tons of players in the NBA have has 20 ppg averages and been detriments to their teams.

[@tomasgonzalez970]

i love this kind of videos

[@Ram-zc4fi]

Them 2000s hawks teams had so much untapped potential w players like Marvin Williams and Josh Smith

[@capriomichael1879]

The sad part is he was good asf, Greg Monroe clogged up the paint for him smh, couldn’t the Pistons have brought Monroe off the bench to let Smith eat? Smh.

[@Emacc323]

Having him Greg Monroe and drummond on court together kills all the spacing

[@jkpwd]

You absolutely right

[@dylanmurray9973]

Man I remember being so excited when the pistons signed him, crazy how I already forgot.

[@jkpwd]

Stan Van Gundy ruined that

[@jkpwd]

@John Gittings how Andre Drummond Greg Monroe Josh Smith kcp Brandon Jennings Spencer Dinwiddie Charlie Villanueva Jonas Jerebko khris Middleton. We was loaded

[@keyes4eva]

March 2013. Lakers vs Altlanta. Kobe drove on Josh Smith and dunked all over his head. That's exactly where his career died.

[@kingkungkernitz]

I remember when he was drafted, he was asked about having a big potential of being a bust. Such a cringey moment.

[@averax4427]

hes also the greatest dunk cheeser in 2k

[@josephalvarez2540]

I remember back in the day when NBA kept showing Josh Smith highlights and it was all dunks back in 2010-2011. IDK why he became parameter player instead of a inner defender/player.

[@backendzig9568]

Andy exposed tf outta him damn