Rik Smits

Rik Smits was born on August 23, 1966, in Eindhoven, Netherlands. He began playing basketball at the age of 14 for PSV–Almonte in his hometown. In 1984, Smits moved to the United States to attend Marist College, where he played for four years. During his college career, he led the Marist Red Foxes to their first NCAA tournament appearances in 1986 and 1987, also achieving 20 wins for the first time in the program’s Division I history. His performance at Marist led to his jersey, number 45, being retired by the college in 2012.

Smits was selected as the second overall pick in the 1988 NBA Draft by the Indiana Pacers, marking the beginning of his professional career. He spent his entire 12-year NBA career with the Pacers, starting 71 games in his rookie season and earning NBA All-Rookie First Team honors. Throughout the 1990s, Smits was a consistent scoring presence for the Pacers, averaging double-digit points every year of his career. He became a central figure in the team’s playoff runs, notably in the 1995 Eastern Conference Finals, where he made a buzzer-beating shot in Game 4 to tie the series. His career-high was 44 points in a game against the Los Angeles Clippers in December 1995. Smits was named an NBA All-Star in 1998, contributing 10 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists in the game.

Smits was a key player in the Pacers’ run to the NBA Finals in 2000, where they ultimately lost to the Los Angeles Lakers. He retired after the 1999–2000 season due to persistent foot problems, which required multiple surgeries. After his basketball career, Smits has dedicated his time to collecting and racing vintage motocross motorcycles, participating in competitive events like the AHRMA Vintage National Premier 500 Intermediate Class, which he won in 2008. He was also selected to the Pacers’ 40th Anniversary Team by fan vote, placing fourth among all-time players.