Kimarni Smith Bio
Kimarni Smith, born on 14 March 1998 in Nottingham, England, is an English footballer who plays as a forward. He currently represents One Knoxville in USL League One, continuing a career that has taken him from English non-league football through the professional academy system, top-tier American college soccer, and Major League Soccer. Smith is best known for his prolific output at Clemson University and for being selected fourth overall in the 2021 MLS SuperDraft by D.C. United.
Standing at 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m), Smith combines physical presence with a sharp eye for goal. Across his journey through English academies, American college soccer, and the lower divisions of the U.S. professional game, he has built a reputation as a dependable striker with a knack for finding the net in key moments.
Early Life and Background
Kimarni Smith was born and raised in Nottingham, England, a city with a deep tradition of producing English football talent. Growing up in the Nottingham area, he joined the academy of Basford United, a Southern Football League side based in his hometown, where he developed his foundational skills as a young forward. He appeared for Basford United’s first team during their 2014–15 season, providing an early taste of senior football while still a teenager.
Smith spent his formative years balancing youth football with his education in Nottingham. His progress at Basford United caught the attention of larger clubs, and his performances in the Southern Football League demonstrated the scoring instincts and work rate that would later define his career. Those early experiences in English non-league football shaped his grounded approach to the game and prepared him for the step up to a professional academy.
Path to Soccer
Smith’s path to professional soccer advanced in December 2015, when he signed a professional contract with Sheffield United ahead of a 1 January 2016 move. The move represented a significant step up from non-league football to one of England’s historic clubs. While at Sheffield United, Smith gained valuable experience training at a high level, and in January 2017 he was loaned to National League North side Gainsborough Trinity to gain further senior minutes.
After being released by Sheffield United in the summer of 2018, Smith made the pivotal decision to move to the United States to play college soccer at Clemson University. The choice proved transformational: across three seasons with the Clemson Tigers from 2018 to 2020, he scored 26 goals and recorded 11 assists in 63 appearances, emerging as one of the most productive forwards in the ACC. During the 2019 season he also turned out for National Premier Soccer League side Greenville FC, making six appearances and scoring once.
Kimarni Smith Career
Early Career (2014–2018)
Smith began his senior career with Basford United, where he appeared for the first team during the 2014–15 season in the Southern Football League. His performances there were enough to earn a move to Sheffield United, where he signed a professional contract on 6 December 2015 ahead of a 1 January 2016 transfer. The Blades’ academy offered him top-tier coaching and competitive fixtures at youth and reserve levels.
In January 2017, Smith was sent on loan to Gainsborough Trinity of the National League North, where he experienced the demands of senior English football away from the academy environment. After returning to Sheffield United, he continued to develop, but was released in the summer of 2018, prompting his move across the Atlantic to join the Clemson Tigers in NCAA Division I college soccer.
Clemson & College Breakthrough (2018–2020)
Smith’s three seasons at Clemson University marked the most prolific stretch of his career to date. Playing for the Clemson Tigers from 2018 to 2020, he tallied 26 goals and 11 assists in 63 appearances, establishing himself as one of the most dangerous forwards in the Atlantic Coast Conference. His scoring touch and consistency in front of goal made him a focal point of the Tigers’ attack.
In 2019, Smith earned Second-team All-America honors, First-team All-South Region recognition, and First-team All-ACC selection, a sweep of accolades that underlined his dominance at the college level. He added another First-team All-ACC selection in 2020, capping a decorated amateur career that positioned him as a prime candidate for the professional ranks. He also played with Greenville FC of the National Premier Soccer League in 2019, scoring once in six appearances.
D.C. United & Affiliate Era (2021–2022)
On 21 January 2021, Kimarni Smith was selected fourth overall in the 2021 MLS SuperDraft by D.C. United, becoming one of the highest-profile English-born picks of that draft class. He officially signed with the club on 8 March 2021 and made his professional MLS debut on 24 April 2021, entering as a 70th-minute substitute in a 1–0 loss to New England Revolution. The debut marked the realization of a journey that had begun in the lower tiers of English football.
On 25 June 2021, D.C. United loaned Smith to their USL Championship affiliate Loudoun United, where he continued to accumulate senior minutes in a competitive professional environment. Following the 2022 season, D.C. United declined his contract option, opening the next chapter of his career.
Later Clubs and One Knoxville (2023–Present)
After his time with D.C. United and Loudoun United, Smith moved to Crown Legacy FC in 2023, the developmental side affiliated with Charlotte FC in MLS NEXT Pro. In 2024 he turned out for Spokane Velocity, continuing to add to his professional portfolio across multiple American soccer leagues. In 2025, he joined One Knoxville in USL League One, where he currently plays as a forward.
Driving Style and Strengths
Kimarni Smith is a 6 ft 1 in forward whose game is built around a strong goalscoring instinct, particularly inside the penalty area. His college record at Clemson, where he averaged roughly a goal every 2.4 appearances, highlights a natural finisher’s mentality, while his willingness to operate as a substitute and on loan demonstrates a professional work ethic.
Notable Events and Milestones
Smith’s most significant milestone came on 21 January 2021, when he was selected fourth overall in the 2021 MLS SuperDraft by D.C. United, validating his path from English non-league football through the American college system. His senior debut for D.C. United on 24 April 2021 and his 26-goal college career stand as the defining markers of his career to date.
Kimarni Smith Career Wins
Kimarni Smith’s career has been shaped more by consistent scoring output and individual recognition than by major trophy hauls. Across college and professional soccer, his verified achievements center on his record-setting Clemson years and his status as a top-five MLS SuperDraft pick, rather than league championships or cup titles. The figures below reflect only those accomplishments supported by verified sources.
Clemson Highlights
Smith’s Clemson Tigers record stands at 26 goals and 11 assists across 63 appearances from 2018 to 2020. His first-team All-ACC selections in 2019 and 2020, together with his Second-team All-America and First-team All-South Region honors in 2019, mark his most decorated individual stretch. He also scored one goal in six appearances for Greenville FC during the 2019 NPSL season.
Other Wins & Performances
Beyond Clemson, Smith’s senior career has featured steady contributions rather than headline silverware. Appearances for Basford United’s first team in 2014–15, his loan at Gainsborough Trinity in 2017, his MLS debut for D.C. United in 2021, and spells at Loudoun United, Crown Legacy FC, Spokane Velocity, and now One Knoxville underline a journeyman forward path through multiple competitive environments.
Kimarni Smith Family
Family Background and Soccer Lineage
Public information about Kimarni Smith’s parents and broader family background is limited, and verified sources do not detail a multi-generational soccer lineage. His rise from the Nottingham-area Basford United academy to professional football in both England and the United States reflects personal drive and a strong support network in his hometown.
Personal Life
Smith is currently based in the United States, where he has spent the majority of his adult soccer career since 2018. He maintains an active professional football career and is widely regarded by teammates and coaches for his disciplined approach to the game. Public details about a spouse or children are not documented in available sources.
2025 Season Performance
Kimarni Smith entered the 2025 season with One Knoxville in USL League One, continuing his run of consistent professional football in the United States. The move to One Knoxville gave him a fresh opportunity to lead the line as an experienced forward with both MLS and USL Championship experience on his résumé. As the 2025 campaign unfolds, Smith is expected to feature prominently in One Knoxville’s attacking plans.
Across his career trajectory from Basford United to One Knoxville, Smith has built a profile as a reliable goalscorer at multiple levels, and his 2025 role with the Knoxville-based club represents the latest chapter in that journey. His professional maturity, refined during years of loans and developmental contracts, positions him as a mentor figure within the One Knoxville squad. Outlook for the remainder of the season centers on his ability to translate his college-level scoring touch into consistent USL League One production.