“Step in this gym and you’ll find out a lot of guys can play.”
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Greg Smith never stops talking when he’s on a basketball court. Whether he’s in the game or on the bench, Smith can be seen constantly hyping up his teammates, giving them some pointers or just having fun with them.
This is part of the professional experience Smith brings to the Fresno Pro-Am. Having played in the NBA, as well as at Fresno State and many more places around the world, Smith takes pride in the knowledge he can share with the younger players at the Fresno Pro-Am.
“I’m not old, but I’m considered an old man,” the former Fresno State center said. “I’ve been around the world, I’ve took my talents to many countries and learned from a lot of different places. I try to get that knowledge out for these young guys, just you know, teach them those little things . . . there’s a job everywhere, so if I could teach somebody the game and give them kind of a knowledge to get there, more power to them.”
Smith’s leadership is part of the reason why his Fresno Pro-Am team, Call My Agent, stands undefeated. While his team has been making an impression at the pro-am, Smith is impressed with how his teammates are being receptive to his leadership.
“A lot of guys respect where I come from, my knowledge and what I can bring, so that’s the good thing,” he said. “We tell guys what’s going on and they listen.”
In less than a week, Smith may be celebrating a championship with Call My Agent. And then it will be time to focus on the next goal for his career.
“I got a lot of jobs lined up that’s reaching out to me, so I just gotta get in shape to get ready,” he said. “It takes a while, you know, when you want to get great shape. It’s not overnight. It’s a lot of work into it. It takes time, gotta be patient, gotta put the work in and stay consistent.”
Smith, who has played in the Philippines, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Taiwan, is hungry to see more of the world.
“That’s the No.1 thing I look forward to, is travel the world,” the Fresno hooper said. “I just had a new son so I gotta get him to see the world, see different different countries, different cultures and you know get the experience.”
It may be just a matter of time before Smith once again gets to show off his talents in arenas packed with thousands of fans. But right now, he’s happy to be competing at the Fresno Pro-Am as the league continues to grow in its second season.
“We’re picking up a lot of steam, getting a lot of fans out here. It’s great for the kids to learn, to watch some good basketball, learn from us,” Smith said. “Get out the house, come to Fresno City, watch these guys play. It’s a lot of good guys, a lot of guys you ain’t never seen before or heard of before. Step in this gym and you’ll find out a lot of guys can play.”
