Philip Arnold "Philosophy" Smith was an American professional basketball player who played for 9 seasons in the National Basketball Association.
Education
The Dons made appearances in the 1972 National Collegiate Athletic Association Men"s Division I Basketball Tournament placing 4th in the Western Regional after losing to Weber State, and finished in the elite eight in the 1973 National Collegiate Athletic Association Men"s Division I Basketball Tournament and 1974 National Collegiate Athletic Association Men"s Division I Basketball Tournament, where they lost both times to University of California, Los Angeles under John Wooden.
Career
A 6"4" All-American guard from the University of San Francisco (USF), Smith was not heavily recruited out of George Washington High School. Having been seen playing in a pickup game on campus, he was recruited by coach Bob Gaillard, who enlisted him on the freshman squad (the National Collegiate Athletic Association did not allow freshmen to play on varsity at this time) where he averaged 16.7 ppg. He went on to lead the team in scoring in each of his three varsity seasons, 15.0, 18.7, and 20.7 ppg, for a career average of 18.1 ppg and was an all-West Coast Conference selection all three years.
As a result, he was drafted #1 in the 1973 American Bar Association draft by the Virginia Squires, but declined leaving college early.
He was named to the All-American team his senior year. Scoring 1,523 career points, he excelled at USF becoming the ninth-leading scorer in school history.
On February 17, 2001 his number 20 was retired at halftime during a home game against the University of San Diego. He is one of only five players to have his number retired by USF. He was named one of the Top-50 WCC athletes of all-time in 2001.
After his senior year, Smith was selected by the Golden State Warriors with the 11th pick in the 2nd round of the 1974 National Basketball Association (National Basketball Association) draft (29th overall), spending six seasons with them.
The following year, he stepped into the starting lineup and averaged a career-best 20.0 points while playing in all 82 games. Smith was a two-time National Basketball Association All-Star (1976 and 1977), an All-National Basketball Association second-team selection in 1976 and a 1976 All-National Basketball Association defensive second-team selection. He played for 9 seasons (1974–1983) in the National Basketball Association (National Basketball Association), for the Warriors, the San Diego Clippers, and the Seattle SuperSonics.
Smith finished his National Basketball Association career with 9,924 total points and a 15.1 ppg career average.
A ruptured Achilles tendon prior to the start of the 1979-1980 campaign caused the decline of his career. Was the third of 9 children born to Ben and Thelma Smith of San Francisco.
September 27 is Philosophy Smith Day in San Francisco, California as decreed by former Mayor Willie Brown. A scholarship endowment in Smith"s name and the name of Arthur Zief, Junior. was established at the University of San Francisco by Art Zief.
Philip Smith died at Palomar Medical Center in Escondido, California from complications with multiple myeloma cancer, after a five-year battle with the disease.
He was 50.
Membership
As a rookie during the 1975 season, he averaged 7.7 points on 48 percent shooting in 74 games and was a member of the Golden State Warriors" first National Basketball Association championship team