Mike Smrek

Mike Smrek

Mike Smrek in 2007 at a high school graduation ceremony
Personal information
Born	(1962-08-31) 31 August 1962 Welland, Ontario
Nationality	Canadian
Listed height	7 ft 0 in (2.13 m)
Listed weight	250 lb (113 kg)
Career information
High school	Eastdale (Welland, Ontario)
College	Canisius (1981–1985)
NBA draft	1985 / Round: 2 / Pick: 25th overall
Selected by the Portland Trail Blazers
Playing career	1985–1997
Position	Center
Number	52, 55, 11
Career history
1985–1986	Chicago Bulls
1986–1988	Los Angeles Lakers
1988–1989	San Antonio Spurs
1989–1990	Fulgor Libertas Forlì (Italy)
1989	Golden State Warriors
1990–1991	Los Angeles Clippers
1992	Golden State Warriors
1992–1993	Dafni (Greece)
1996–1997	KK Split (Croatia)
Career highlights and awards
2× NBA champion (1987–1988)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com

Michael Frank Smrek (born 31 August 1962) is a retired Canadian professional basketball player. He was a top of the 2nd round pick of the Portland Trail Blazers in the 1985 NBA draft, and played seven seasons as a backup big man in the league.

College career

The 7'0, 250 lbs Smrek graduated from Eastdale High School in Welland, having grown up in Port Robinson, Ontario, a nearby rural farming community. At Canisius College he averaged 9.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.6 blocks, and 0.8 assists in 23 minutes a contest over four years. He is the college's second leading career shot-blocking with 172 (compatriot Michael Meeks is first with 183). He also had the two best seasons for field-goal percentage in school history with a .632 FGP in 1983-84 and a .601 FGP in 1984-85.

NBA

Smrek was a back-up center, appearing in 194 games over seven seasons. He averaged 9.7 minutes, 2.9 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks a contest during this time. Drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers with the first pick in the second round of the 1985 NBA Draft out of Canisius College, he played as rookie with the Chicago Bulls, appearing in 38 games and averaged around his career totals.

Smrek went on to play two seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, with whom he earned NBA championship rings in 1987 and 1988. He then had a year with the San Antonio Spurs, parts of three seasons with the Golden State Warriors and a brief stint with the Los Angeles Clippers. He has also played for the Toronto Raptors in the 1996 preseason (but not in regular season games).

Europe

He played in Italy for Fulgor Libertas Forlì (1989–90), in the Greek League for Dafni BC (1992–93) and in Croatia for KK Split (1996–97).

Current career

Currently, Mike Smrek is employed as a Construction Technology teacher at St. Paul High School in Niagara Falls, Ontario and also works part time as a carpenter in Welland, Ontario.

External links

• Career