Denver Nuggets NBA Champion Retires To Become A Scout

According to Josh Robbins of The Athletic, former NBA player Ish Smith is joining the Washington Wizards as a scout.

Oct 30, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; General view of the Denver Nuggets 2023 championship banners before the game at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Ish Smith most recently played in the NBA during the 2023-24 season when he was a member of the Charlotte Hornets.

He finished last year with averages of 3.2 points, 1.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists per contest while shooting 41.8% from the field and 50.0% from the three-point range in 43 games.

On Wednesday, Josh Robbins of The Athletic reported that Smith is joining the Washington Wizards as a scout.

Via Robbins: "The Washington Wizards have hired former NBA point guard Ish Smith as a pro scout, team officials said. Smith, who had two stints with the Wizards, played for an NBA-record 13 different teams."

The Washington Wizards have hired former NBA point guard Ish Smith as a pro scout, team officials said. Smith, who had two stints with the Wizards, played for an NBA-record 13 different teams.

— Josh Robbins (@JoshuaBRobbins) October 2, 2024

Smith spent 14 seasons in the NBA with the Detroit Pistons, Washington Wizards, Charlotte Hornets, Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns, Orlando Magic, Denver Nuggets, OKC Thunder, Houston Rockets, New Orleans Pelicans, Milwaukee Bucks, Memphis Grizzlies and Golden State Warriors.

His career averages were 7.1 points, 2.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists per contest while shooting 42.9% from the field and 32.5% from the three-point range in 805 regular season games.

He also appeared in 23 playoff games and won the 2023 NBA Championship with the Nuggets.

Apr 6, 2023; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Ish Smith (14) against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Arguably the best season of his career came with the 76ers and Pelicans (2016).

That year, he averaged 12.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 1.1 steals per contest while shooting 41.1% from the field and 32.9% from the three-point range in 77 games (53 starts).

Ish Smith has been hired as a professional scout by the Washington Wizards.

Love to see that Ish is still going to be part of the league, was a great player for his role and a great overall person. https://t.co/vakFCYaVsc

— Sean Murphy (@seanhalfcourt) October 2, 2024

The Wizards finished last season as the 14th seed in the Eastern Conference with a 15-57 record.