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Tanner Smith (basketball)

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Tanner Smith
Smith with Clemson
Appalachian State Mountaineers
PositionAssistant coach
LeagueSun Belt Conference
Personal information
Born (1990-03-30) March 30, 1990 (age 34)
Alpharetta, Georgia, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Listed weight210 lb (95 kg)
Career information
High schoolWesleyan School
(Norcross, Georgia)
CollegeClemson (2008–2012)
NBA draft2012: undrafted
Playing career2012–2014
PositionShooting guard
Number5
Coaching career2014–present
Career history
As player:
2012–2013Landstede Basketbal
2013–2014MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg
As coach:
2014–2015Mississippi State (graduate assistant)
2015–2017Charlotte 49ers (Dir. of Basketball Operations)
2017–2018Charlotte 49ers (assistant)
2018–2019Mississippi State (Dir. of Basketball Operations)
2019–2021Kennesaw State (assistant)
2021–2023Stephen F. Austin (assistant)
2023–presentAppalachian State (assistant)
Career highlights and awards

Tanner James Smith (born March 30, 1990) is a former American professional basketball player and is currently an assistant coach for Appalachian State.[1][2]

Smith played professionally for MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg in the Basketball Bundesliga in Germany and Landstede Basketball in the Netherlands. He played for Clemson University.

Smith has been noted by such sources as The Post and Courier, The Times and Democrat, and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for founding Tanner's Totes, an organization that helps to cheer up children and teenagers with cancer through donations of large tote bags filled with toys and other recreational items.[3][4][5][6][7] Tanner's Totes have delivered to hospitals in 25 states across the US.[5][8] Over 3000 totes have been delivered.[5][8] Smith has also been interviewed by ESPN in print and in televised interviews and has been featured on the ABC special "Everyday Health".[9]

Tanner Smith graduated in December 2011 with a degree in Marketing[7][10] and finished playing his final season at Clemson as a graduate student.[11]

College career

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Tanner Smith started three seasons as a Guard on the Clemson Tigers men's basketball team.[citation needed] He committed to Clemson University on September 13, 2007[12] under coach Oliver Purnell over offers from the University of Oregon, the University of Michigan, Vanderbilt University, the University of Georgia, Auburn University, and the University of Cincinnati.[10]

He played high school basketball at Wesleyan School in Norcross, Georgia.[10] He was rated as a 3-star prospect in high school and as the #22 small forward in the nation by Scout.com[13] and given a Scout Grade of 87 on ESPN.com.[14] He was also rated 16th in the state of Georgia by Rivals.com, two spots lower than his teammate and roommate at Clemson, Andre Young.[15]

When considering schools, Smith chose Clemson mainly because of location; It was far enough away from home for him to be independent, but still close enough that his parents would be able to come to his games. Conference also played a part in his decision. Clemson is in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), which Dana O'Neil says is "a league Tanner remembers watching as a kid."[4]

Statistics

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Season Averages
Season Team G PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% 3P% FT% MPG TO FGM-FGA 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA
2008-09 Clemson Tigers 32 3.6 1.8 1.1 0.9 0.2 .448 .357 .667 13.2 1.1 1.3-3.0 0.5-1.3 0.4-0.7
2009–10 Clemson Tigers 32 8.7 4.2 2.2 1.2 0.4 .401 .275 .740 24.9 2.1 2.8-6.9 0.8-2.8 2.3-3.1
2010–11 Clemson Tigers 32 7.8 3.5 2.8 1.3 0.3 .411 .333 .728 29.3 1.9 2.5-6.0 1.0-2.9 1.8-2.5
2011–12 Clemson Tigers 31 11.2 5.1 4.1 1.7 0.2 .457 .351 .721 32.6 2.1 3.9-8.6 1.3-3.7 2.0-2.8
Career Averages: 7.8 3.7 2.6 1.3 0.3 0.429 .329 .714 25 1.8 2.6-6.1 0.9-2.7 1.6-2.3
Season Totals
Season Team G PTS REB AST STL BLK FG% 3P% FT% MIN TO FGM-FGA 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA
2008-09 Clemson Tigers 32 115 57 34 29 6 .448 .357 .667 422 36 43-96 15-42 14-21
2009–10 Clemson Tigers 32 277 133 69 37 13 .401 .275 .740 798 66 89-222 25-91 74-100
2010–11 Clemson Tigers 32 248 112 89 41 8 .411 .333 .728 936 60 79-192 31-93 59-81
2011–12 Clemson Tigers 31 346 157 128 52 7 .457 .351 .721 1011 65 122-267 40-114 62-86
Career Totals: 127 986 459 320 159 34 0.429 .329 .714 3165 227 333-777 40-340 209-288

Awards

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Throughout his college career, Tanner Smith has earned numerous awards, including but not limited to the 2011 C. J. Spiller Award given to a student-athlete chosen by the Clemson University student body for exceptional representation of the school through athletics and academics; the Mr. Effort Award his junior year given to the athlete that exhibits the most "hustle"; and the 2011 Tiger Pride Award, given to the Clemson athlete who best embodies the term "student athlete". He is also a four-time member of the All-ACC Academic Team, making him only the second player in Clemson history to make the team all four years.[16][17][18]

Professional career

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Smith played his first professional season in the Dutch Basketball League, playing for Landstede Basketbal from Zwolle.[19] In July 2013, Smith signed with MHP RIESEN Ludwigsburg in Germany.[20]

Coaching career

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Tanner Smith began coaching in 2014 serving as the Graduate Assistant for Mississippi State basketball team.[21] He became the Director of Operations at Charlotte 49ers for two seasons before being promoted to a full-time assistant coach in 2017.[22]

In 2018, Tanner Smith joined Mississippi State as Director of Basketball Operations.[21] In 2019, he joined Kennesaw State as Assistant coach.[23]

Honors

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Netherlands Landstede Basketbal

Tanner's Totes

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Tanner's Totes is a non-profit organization that works to cheer up children and teens with cancer undergoing long-term treatment in the hospital through the donation of large tote bags filled with new, non-food items.[3] It is an IRS-approved, publicly supported 501(c)(3) organization.[3][6] In the fourth grade, Tanner Smith was assigned to write a paper about his three wishes.[4][6][7] In it, he wrote that he wished for a golden retriever, to become a professional basketball player, and to help kids with cancer.[4][5][6] Tanner's Totes was established two years later, when Smith was in the sixth grade, after he reiterated his wish to cheer up kids with cancer.[4]

References

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  1. ^ "2021-22 Men's Basketball Roster".
  2. ^ "Tanner Smith". Appalachian State Mountaineers. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
  3. ^ a b c "About Us". Tanner's Totes, Inc. Darren Jackson LLC.
  4. ^ a b c d e O'Neil, Dana (18 February 2009). "From childhood wish to lasting legacy, Smith's charity specializes in smiles". ESPN. ESPN Internet Ventures.
  5. ^ a b c d Sawchik, Travis (8 March 2012). "Clemson senior Tanner Smith can say he learned a lot from his father". The Times and Democrat. Retrieved 8 March 2012.
  6. ^ a b c d Hummer, Steve. "His Greatests Assists Are Off Court". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
  7. ^ a b c "Lowe's Senior Class Award: Tanner Smith". seniorclassaward.com.
  8. ^ a b Sawchik, Travis. "Clemson basketball player Tanner Smith's selflessness sparks smiles". Post and Courier. Evening Post Publishing Co. Retrieved 3 April 2012.
  9. ^ Vandervort, Will. "A Special Moment: Everyday Health Chronicles the Story of Tanner's Totes". IPTAY Media.
  10. ^ a b c "Player Bio: Tanner Smith". Clemson Tigers: The Official Site of Clemson University Athletics. CBS Interactive.
  11. ^ "Nine football players among 20 student-athletes who graduated today". Orange&White. 2012 Scripps Newspaper Group. Retrieved 29 March 2012.
  12. ^ "Tanner Smith". rivals.yahoo.com. Retrieved 29 March 2012.
  13. ^ "Tanner Smith Wesleyan School roster". Scout.com. Retrieved 29 March 2012.
  14. ^ "Recruiting Nation Basketball Tanner Smith". ESPN.com. Retrieved 29 March 2012.
  15. ^ "2008 Prospect Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved 29 March 2012.
  16. ^ "About Lowe's Senior Class Award". seniorclassaward.com. Premier Sports Management. Retrieved 1 April 2012.
  17. ^ "Lowe's Senior Class Award: Tanner Smith". www.seniorclassaward.com.
  18. ^ "Clemson men's basketball leads league with four on Academic All-ACC team". orangeandwhite.com. Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group. Retrieved 1 April 2012.
  19. ^ "Landstede Basketbal signs Tanner Smith" at weblogzwolle.nl (July 31, 2012) (in Dutch)
  20. ^ "Tanner Smith to Ludwigsburg" at basketballplus.nl (July 9, 2013) (in Dutch)
  21. ^ a b https://www.wtva.com/content/sports/Tanner-Smith-returns-to-MSU-basketball-as-director-of-operations-482836241.html [bare URL]
  22. ^ "Tanner Smith". Charlotte 49ers basketball.
  23. ^ "Tanner Smith - Men's Basketball Coach".
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