Raphael Smith Biography
Raphael Smith is a former American basketball player from South Bend, Indiana, and was a walk-on for Indiana University. He currently is a mentor and youth basketball coach/trainer.
- Name: Raphael Smith
- Position: Guard
- Age: 32 years old
- Birthday: April 16, 1992
- Hometown: South Bend, Indiana
- High School: Riley High School (South Bend, Indiana)
- Height: 6’3″ (190 cm)
- Weight: 172 lbs (78 kg)
- Seasons: 2 (2011-2012, 2012-2013)
- Jersey: #15
- Education: Sports Communication Broadcast
Raphael Smith’s Indiana University Statistics
| Season | G | GS | MP | FG | FGA | FG% | 2P | 2PA | 2P% | 3P | 3PA | 3P% | FT | FTA | FT% | ORB | DRB | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | PF | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-2012 | 9 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 | 2 | 2 | 1.000 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 2012-2013 | 13 | 0 | 18 | 2 | 3 | 0.667 | 2 | 3 | 0.667 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| Career | 22 | 0 | 30 | 2 | 6 | 0.667 | 2 | 5 | 0.667 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 | 2 | 2 | 1.000 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 6 |
Raphael Smith’s Seasons with the Hoosiers
27-9 (11-7 Big Ten)
🏅 NCAA Sweet Sixteen
29-7 (14-4 Big Ten)
🏅 NCAA Sweet Sixteen
Raphael Smith’s Indiana University Career
Smith played basketball and ran track at Riley High School in South Bend, Indiana. While he had a few college basketball offers, none of them were from D1 schools. Thus, Smith decided to attend Indiana University and focus on his education.
After arriving at IU, Smith heard a few of his friends from Forest Quad talking about trying out to be a walk-on and was encouraged to join them at the tryout. Smith decided at the last minute to participate in the workout, feeling he had nothing to lose. After the tryout, Smith actually learned from the team physical that he had a slight heart murmur.
The workout took place in October 2010. He heard nothing until January 2011 when he got a call from a member of the IU staff asking if he could come to practice the next day. That spring, Smith was officially a Hoosier walk-on.
Smith appeared in 9 games in 2011-2012 and 13 games in 2012-2013. In all of these appearances combined, he played a total of 30 minutes. Still, despite limited playing time, Smith was able to experience IU’s takedown of #1 Kentucky in 2011 and was part of a team that was a #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Ultimately, Smith understood that his future was not in basketball and decided to step away from the team to focus on his education. He later said he was not forced out, but rather left of his own volition and that Coach Crean, as well as teammates, encouraged him to stay.
Despite earning a degree in Sports Communication Broadcast, Smith always intended to mentor young adults and children as a career.
He has gone on to be an AAU basketball coach, a North Central High School assistant girls basketball coach, a youth basketball trainer, a physical education teacher focusing on students with disabilities, and a trainer/coach at the IndyHoops Academy.
