Malachi Smith Bio
Malachi Smith is an American professional basketball player for the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Standing 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) and listed at 205 lb (93 kg), he plays the shooting guard position and has competed across the NBA G League and the NBA since 2023. He played college basketball for the Wright State Raiders, the Chattanooga Mocs, and the Gonzaga Bulldogs before entering the professional ranks.
Born in Evansville, Indiana, Smith developed his game in Belleville, Illinois, where he became a state champion. Across his college career he earned multiple conference honors, including the Lou Henson Award and Southern Conference Player of the Year. After going undrafted in 2023, he worked his way through the NBA G League before signing a two-year standard NBA contract with the Brooklyn Nets.
Early Life and Background
Malachi Knight-Smith was born on December 6, 1999, in Evansville, Indiana. His mother, Connie, served in the United States Air Force for 12.5 years and is an ALT Administrator at Ascension. His parents divorced when he was six years old, and he was subsequently raised by his mother, whose disciplined service background shaped his early work ethic.
Smith’s grandfather, Larry Knight, played professional basketball and was a first-round draft pick by the Utah Jazz. That family connection to the sport gave him an early model for what a basketball career could look like, and Smith grew up around the game in both Indiana and the Belleville, Illinois, area.
Path to Basketball
Smith began his high school career at Belleville High School-East in Belleville, Illinois, before transferring to Belleville High School-West for his senior season. At Belleville West he teamed with E. J. Liddell and averaged 15.5 points per game, helping the program capture its first Class 4A state title. His play quickly attracted college interest from multiple programs.
In November 2017, Smith committed to Wright State, choosing the Raiders over Lindenwood, Montana State, and Denver. The Horizon League program offered him an opportunity to begin his college career close to home and to develop his skills as a freshman contributor.
Malachi Smith Career
Early Career (2018–2020)
As a freshman at Wright State during the 2018–19 season, Smith averaged 5.4 points and 2.9 rebounds per game and earned Horizon League All-Freshman Team honors. Following that year he transferred to Chattanooga, where NCAA transfer rules required him to sit out one season before he could return to the court.
The year on the sidelines allowed Smith to refine his game and adjust to a higher level of competition. When he became eligible, he stepped into a featured role for the Mocs and began producing at a conference-leading rate.
College Breakthrough at Chattanooga (2020–2022)
In his first active season with Chattanooga, Smith averaged 16.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game, earning First Team All-Southern Conference honors from the league’s coaches. On November 18, 2021, he scored a career-high 36 points in an 87–76 loss to Murray State, establishing himself as one of the top scorers in the Southern Conference.
At the close of his sophomore season, Smith was named the Southern Conference Player of the Year by both the conference’s coaches and media. He also received the Lou Henson Award in 2022, honoring the top mid-major player in college basketball. Earlier in his Chattanooga tenure he had been named First-team All-SoCon – Coaches and Second-team All-SoCon – Media for the 2021 season.
Final College Season at Gonzaga (2022–2023)
Smith transferred to Gonzaga for his final college season and joined a Bulldogs program that consistently competes at the top of the West Coast Conference. In a reduced bench role, he earned West Coast Conference Sixth Man of the Year honors for 2023, capping a college career that spanned three schools and three conferences.
Following the 2022–23 season, Smith declared for the 2023 NBA draft but went undrafted, opening the door to the professional ranks through the NBA G League and Summer League circuits.
Professional Journey in the NBA G League (2023–2025)
After going undrafted, Smith joined the Portland Trail Blazers for the 2023 NBA Summer League and signed with the franchise on October 2, 2023. He was waived on October 10 and on October 30 joined the Rip City Remix of the NBA G League, where he spent the early part of his rookie professional season.
On January 12, 2024, Smith was traded to the Wisconsin Herd in exchange for Jazian Gortman. On October 9, 2024, he was traded to the Memphis Hustle. On September 9, 2025, Smith was traded to the Long Island Nets in exchange for Jordan Minor and a 2026 first-round pick. Across these stops he established himself as a reliable guard contributor in the G League.
Brooklyn Nets Era (2026–Present)
On March 13, 2026, Smith signed a 10-day contract with the Brooklyn Nets and signed a second 10-day deal on March 24. Following the expiration of that deal, Brooklyn re-signed him to a two-year, standard NBA contract on April 4. In total across his first NBA regular-season appearances, he averaged 7.3 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in ten games.
The promotion from the Long Island Nets to Brooklyn completed a path from undrafted free agent to standard NBA deal in just a few seasons. His G League stops with Rip City, Wisconsin, Memphis, and Long Island prepared him for a larger role at the NBA level.
Driving Style and Strengths
Smith is a 6 ft 4 in shooting guard whose game has long been built on scoring, rebounding, and facilitating from the wing. At Chattanooga he posted a 16.8-point, 8.8-rebound, 3.3-assist line that showcased a complete offensive profile, and his senior high school season at Belleville West featured 15.5 points per game alongside an elite teammate. His ability to operate as a secondary ball-handler and rebounder from the guard spot has allowed him to fit multiple roles throughout his career.
Notable Events and Milestones
His career-high 36 points against Murray State on November 18, 2021, stands as one of the defining scoring performances of his college career. Winning a Class 4A state title at Belleville West, earning Southern Conference Player of the Year, and receiving the Lou Henson Award in 2022 each marked clear steps forward, and his two-year standard NBA contract with the Brooklyn Nets in April 2026 marked his arrival at the league’s top level.
Malachi Smith Career Highlights
Across high school, college, and the professional ranks, Malachi Smith has accumulated a steady collection of team and individual honors. His most prominent awards came during the 2021–22 season at Chattanooga, when he swept the major Southern Conference recognitions and added a national mid-major player award.
College Honors
Smith was named to the Horizon League All-Freshman Team in 2019, First-team All-SoCon – Coaches and Second-team All-SoCon – Media in 2021, and First-team All-SoCon in 2022. He added Southern Conference Player of the Year and the Lou Henson Award in 2022, then capped his college run with WCC Sixth Man of the Year in 2023 at Gonzaga.
Professional Accomplishments
In the professional ranks, Smith moved through four G League teams before reaching the NBA. His two-year standard contract with the Brooklyn Nets in April 2026 represents his most significant professional milestone to date, validating the path he took through Rip City, Wisconsin, Memphis, and Long Island.
Malachi Smith Family
Family Background and Basketball Lineage
Smith’s mother, Connie, served 12.5 years in the United States Air Force and currently works as an ALT Administrator at Ascension. His parents divorced when he was six, and he was raised primarily by his mother. His grandfather, Larry Knight, played professional basketball and was a first-round draft pick by the Utah Jazz, giving the family a direct link to the professional game.
Personal Life
Smith grew up between Evansville, Indiana, and the Belleville, Illinois, area, following his mother’s career and family transitions. He has built his adult life around basketball, moving from one college program to the next and then through the NBA G League system to reach the NBA with the Brooklyn Nets.
2025 Season Performance
Smith opened the 2025 calendar year with the Memphis Hustle after being traded there on October 9, 2024. He spent the early part of the season continuing to develop his guard game in the G League while staying ready for an NBA opportunity.
On September 9, 2025, he was traded to the Long Island Nets in exchange for Jordan Minor and a 2026 first-round pick, giving him a new developmental home within the Brooklyn Nets’ system. The trade positioned him for the call-up that would come in March 2026, when he signed his first 10-day contract with Brooklyn.
Across his 2025 G League work, Smith remained a versatile scoring and playmaking guard, and his production through the Long Island Nets ultimately translated into a standard NBA contract with Brooklyn in April 2026.