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Los Angeles Clippers: 25 Best Players To Play For The Clippers

By Phil Watson

Apr 20, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; General view of the Los Angeles Clippers logo at midcourt during game two of the first round of the NBA playoffs against the Portland Trail Blazers at the Staples center. The Clippers defeated the Trail Blazers 102-81 to take a 2-0 lead. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 20, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; General view of the Los Angeles Clippers logo at midcourt during game two of the first round of the NBA playoffs against the Portland Trail Blazers at the Staples center. The Clippers defeated the Trail Blazers 102-81 to take a 2-0 lead. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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LOS ANGELES, CA - - DECEMBER 1984: Michael Jordan #23 of the Chicago Bulls defends Derek Smith #18 of the Los Angeles Clippers during a December 1984 season game at the Sports Arena in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – – DECEMBER 1984: Michael Jordan #23 of the Chicago Bulls defends Derek Smith #18 of the Los Angeles Clippers during a December 1984 season game at the Sports Arena in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images) /

1983-86. Derek Smith. 21. player. 77. <strong>How acquired:</strong> Free agent, Sept, 13, 1983.. SG

The San Diego Clippers rolled the dice on Derek Smith five days after he was waived by the Golden State Warriors in September 1983.

Moved into a starting role in 1984 after the Clippers moved to Los Angeles, Smith exploded as a scorer, but his career was irrevocably changed by a severe knee injury sustained on Christmas Day in 1985.

Larry Drew
Larry Drew /

, a first-round pick in 1988 and a second-round selection in 1989.

In three seasons in San Diego and Los Angeles, Smith averaged 17.3 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 28.9 minutes per game, shooting .540/.185/.774.

Smith was a three-year starter at Louisville, averaging 15.7 points and 6.0 rebounds as a senior and playing on a national championship team as a sophomore.

He was taken by the Warriors in the second round of the 1982 NBA Draft.

Waived by Sacramento in February 1989, he signed six days later with the Philadelphia 76ers and signed in December 1990 with the Boston Celtics, retiring after going unsigned as a free agent in the summer of 1991.

While working as an assistant coach with the Washington Bullets, Smith died Aug. 10, 1996, while on a cruise ship near Bermuda from apparent respiratory failure brought on by medication he took for motion sickness. He was just 34 years old.

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