OAKLAND — Based on the vicinity between organizations, the A’s pulling for the Golden State Warriors in their all-Northern California NBA Playoffs matchup with the Sacramento Kings would make sense.
Starring at shooting guard for the Kings is Kevin Huerter, with whom Smith shares a friendship that dates back to when the two grew up playing on the same travel baseball and basketball teams in upstate New York.
With Huerter previously playing for the Atlanta Hawks over the first four seasons of his NBA career, Smith had been unable to watch his childhood friend in action for a live game.
“We both went to Maryland, so I saw him a little bit there and he killed it.
While sharing the backcourt with Huerter as guards, Smith had a feeling his running mate was destined for NBA stardom.
He was three or four years younger than everybody else on the floor, but he would still dominate.
These days, Smith’s basketball skills are confined to the mini hoop situated inside the A’s clubhouse, though there was a time when the A’s infielder envisioned his own path to the NBA.
Shifting his focus solely to baseball in college, Smith shined at Maryland and became a fourth-round pick by the Blue Jays in the 2017 MLB Draft.
“We would check in and talk here and there,” Smith said.
