Last Updated on April 16, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

Here is a detailed profile on Elmore Smith:

Player Profile

  • Full Name: Elmore Smith
  • Nationality: American
  • Age: Born May 9, 1949
  • Hometown: Macon, Georgia, USA
  • Height: 7 feet 1 inches (2.16 meters)
  • Weight: Around 250 pounds (113 kg)
  • Wingspan: 7 feet 4 inches (2.24 meters)
  • Shoe Size: Size 19 (US)
  • Jersey Number: Primarily wore #3, #32, and #52 during his NBA career
  • Position: Center
  • High School: Ballard-Hudson High School, Macon, Georgia
  • College: Kentucky State University
  • NBA Draft: 1971, Round 1, 3rd overall pick by the Buffalo Braves
  • Teams Played For:
    1. Buffalo Braves (1971–1973)
    2. Los Angeles Lakers (1973–1975)
    3. Milwaukee Bucks (1975–1977)
    4. Cleveland Cavaliers (1977–1979)
  • Championship Rings: None
  • Children: Information about his children is not publicly detailed
  • Siblings: Information about his siblings is not publicly available

Player Archetype / Play Style

Elmore Smith’s player archetype was a classic rim-protecting center, a true paint anchor whose value started with size, rebounding, and shot-blocking. At roughly 7-foot-1 and 250 pounds, he had the kind of long, imposing frame that naturally defined his defensive role as an interior deterrent; he protected the basket, cleaned the glass, and turned the lane into a difficult scoring area, which fits a career built around elite block numbers and a still-standing 17-block game. Offensively, his offensive role was more functional than expansive, with most of his scoring coming as a finisher around the rim, interior target, and second-chance threat rather than a perimeter-oriented or creation-heavy option. In physical traits, Smith brought legitimate center size, reach, strength, and the length needed to overwhelm plays near the basket. His play style summary points to a rugged, defense-first big man whose best work came inside, where he could erase shots, rebound in traffic, and give teams a traditional low-post presence without needing the offense to run through him. (Basketball Reference)

Sources:

Basketball-Reference — Elmore Smith Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status …
NBA.com — Elmore Smith | Center | Los Angeles Lakers
NBA.com — The most blocks by a player in an NBA game
Los Angeles Times — There’s one memory of his NBA career that Elmore Smith won’t ever block out