Former Maryland Men's Basketball Star Joe Smith Inducted Into Hall Of Fame

Joe Smith is one of the more notable players in Maryland men's basketball history, and he was not rightfully inducted into the Maryland Athletics Hall of Fame until yesterday afternoon. The University of Maryland Athletics Department announced Smith's name as one of the members of the 2026 class that will be inducted into the Maryland Athletics Hall of Fame this fall.

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘽𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙃𝙖𝙡𝙡 😤🐢@JoeBeast95 will be inducted into the Maryland Athletics Hall of Fame this fall! pic.twitter.com/qfQnlC0kv0
— Maryland Men’s Basketball (@TerrapinHoops) June 11, 2026

Smith is featured with a highly talented class, which includes 2006 National Championship women's basketball member Marissa Coleman, three-time Tewaaraton winner Taylor Cummings, legendary women's basketball head coach Brenda Frese, lacrosse lockdown defender Michael Howley, track and field star Dennis Ivory, Olympian Thea LaFond, program top-three sack leader Shawne Merriman, and Maryland / 2014 U.S. FIFA Soccer Team Member, Graham Zusi.

Smith came into the program during a time when Williams and the Maryland program were looking for the next star to guide and lead the team to success and consistency that had been missing in recent years after the departure and tragic loss of Len Bias.

Smith spent only two seasons with the Terps (93-95), during which he posted career averages of 20.2 points on 55% field-goal shooting, 10.7 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 1 assist, and 3 blocks in 64 total games.

During Smith's two seasons, the Terps advanced to the NCAA National Tournament, appearing in the Sweet Sixteen in his first season and advancing to the second round in his final season.

Smith became a top player not only within the program under legendary head coach Gary Williams but also across the country.

In a Washington Post article over three decades ago, back during Smith's rookie season, in the article, they talked about how Williams found Smith, who was an under-the-radar recruit:

"Williams was scouting another big man who wound up going to North Carolina and noticed Smith, who was just a high school sophomore then. Though he was gangly, he obviously had skills."

The big thing that drew Smith to Maryland, despite rival ACC schools trying to follow suit and recruit him, was that Maryland was the first to send him a recruiting letter, which gave him the notion that ACC play was a possibility.

After his freshman campaign, Smith earned multiple honors, ranging from ACC Rookie of the Year, third team All-American by UPI as a freshman, and first-team all-ACC.

But he followed that up even one step further in his sophomore season, becoming....

Naismith College Player of the Year
Earning Associated Press (AP) Player of the Year honors
Selected as United Press International (UPI) College Player of the Year
Won the Adolph Rupp Trophy
Earned Consensus First Team All-American honors

Ultimately, Smith finished his Terrapin career with 1,524 points, 815 rebounds, 190 blocks, 93 steals, and 34 double-doubles, which set him up as the No. 1 overall pick in the 1995 NBA Draft, where the Golden State Warriors selected him.

Smith earned NBA All-Rookie First Team honors, finishing third in ROTY votes after posting 15 points, nearly nine rebounds, one assist, one steal, and almost two blocks per contest.

Smith went on to have a long and productive career, spending 16 years in the league, appearing in the playoffs in 10 out of the 16 seasons, and playing for 12 different teams in that span:

Minnesota Timberwolves

Philadelphia 76ers

Detroit Pistons

Milwauke Bucks

Denver Nuggets

Chicago Bulls

Cleveland Cavailers

Oklahoma City Thunder

Atlanta Hawks

New Jersey Nets

Los Angeles Lakers

Golden State Warriors

Despite his NBA career not quite living up to the No. 1 overall status, Smith was credited as an NBA veteran who provided a strong locker room presence, with a skilled offensive game from his mid-range jumper to his post game, and an athletic style that allowed him to run the floor on both ends.

Smith provided the Terps with stardom and excitement that were missing in recent seasons during the mid-90s, while becoming the first Terp ever to win consensus National Collegiate Player of the Year honors (1995). His dominance and consistency flashed on the floor every time he played.

31 years ago today, No. 6 Maryland beat Duke 94-92 on a buzzer beater tip in by Joe Smith, who scored a career-high 40 points. Assistant coach Billy Hahn filled in for Gary Williams, who was in the hospital with pneumonia.

- Joe Smith: 40 pts, 18 reb
- Exree Hipp: 13 pts, 5 reb pic.twitter.com/VhFZiOeJta
— Inside Maryland Sports (@Terrapins247) March 1, 2026

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