Rik Smits
Rik Smits was born in Eindhoven, North Brabant, Netherlands on August 23rd, 1966 and is the Basketball Player. At the age of 57, Rik Smits biography, profession, age, height, weight, eye color, hair color, build, measurements, education, career, dating/affair, family, news updates, and networth are available.
At 57 years old, Rik Smits has this physical status:
Early life and college career
Smits was born in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. He started playing basketball at age 14 at PSV-Almonte in Eindhoven. In 1984, Smits left for the United States, where he spent four years at Marist College.
Smits led Marist to the ECAC Metro Conference championship Championship in 1986 and qualified to compete in their first NCAA tournament in school history. For the first time in Division I history and another appearance in the NCAA tournament, he led the Red Foxes to 20 victories in 1987.
Smits appeared briefly in the 1988 film Coming to America, a scene shot in 1987, when Marist competed against St. John's at Madison Square Garden.
In the 1988 NBA draft, Smits was drafted second overall, making him the first Marist player to play in the NBA. Marist later retired his #45 jersey.
NBA career
He spent his entire professional career with the Indiana Pacers. Smits first backed up Steve Stipanovich, but Smits later started 71 games in his rookie year, averaging 11.7 points and 6.1 rebounds per game and winning All-Rookie First Team distinctions. Smits continued to post double-digit point totals in every year of his career, but it wasn't until the 1993-94 NBA season that Smits really came into his own as a team leader.
Smits was rated as the top player on the Pacers' playoff runs in the mid- to late 1990s, behind Reggie Miller, on the very talented Pacers. Smits' highest point-per-game average was 18.5 points per game in 1995-96, much less than NBA "superstar" averages, but the Dutchman endeared himself to Pacers fans with his superb playoff results, most notably in Game 4 of the 1995 Eastern Conference Finals, where he tied the series for the first time.
Smits was recruited to the Eastern Conference All-Star Team in 1998, giving 10 points, seven rebounds, and four assists, as well as a stunning back-and-forth pass to New Jersey Nets forward Jayson Williams, who followed immediately with a slam dunk.
Smits suffered nerve damage in his feet as a child from wearing tight shoes. He spent time relaxing at his summer retreat in Walton, New York, where he was a regular attendee of The Afton Fair. Foot injuries dogged Smits for the majority of his career, and he retired at the end of the Pacers' 1999–2000 season after Indiana was defeated by the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals 4 games to 2.
Smits underwent extensive back surgery in November 2009 to fix cracks in one joint that connects his vertebrae after four surgeries to recover nerve damage to his feet. Smits has also undergone arthroscopic surgery on his left knee and bone chips were removed from his left ankle.
Smits was selected by the fans to be part of the Pacers' 40th Anniversary Team. He received the fourth most votes, trailing only Reggie Miller, Mel Daniels, and Jermaine O'Neal.
National team career
Smits has also competed for the senior Netherlands national team. He appeared at the 1986 FIBA World Championships and 1987 in Eurobasket.