NBA Draft: Ranking the last 25 first overall picks

A player who never quite stuck with a single organization, Joe Smith was the ultimate journeyman. Smith played for 12 different teams in his 16-year NBA career, averaging 10.9 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. His legacy will be connected more with his NCAA career than his professional one, but that does not mean he wasn’t a worthy NBA player.

At the University of Maryland, Smith was a consensus Player of the Year, First-Team All-American and the favorite to be taken No. 1 by the Golden State Warriors.

He would enter the league making an immediate impact, making the NBA All-Rookie First Team and following it up with an excellent second season. Those would be the two best statistical seasons, however, as his production declined after a trade to the Philadelphia 76ers and he was never able to return to form.

The most memorable part of Smith’s NBA career may be his involvement in an illicit contract scandal, which had put the Minnesota Timberwolves in a favorable situation to make more moves.

Smith was promised more money if he took small contracts in the short-term, allowing the Timberwolves to keep his Bird rights. When this scheme was revealed, the Timberwolves would be set back for years, as they were stripped of four first-round picks over the next five years.

By the time he retired, Smith had become a perennial trade piece, who could provide adequate value, but was not the star he was early in his career. His 12 different teams is tied for the record for most franchises played for a by single player.

Career averages: 10.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.0 assists per game