BIO: Greg Smith was born in Warrnambool (VIC) and began playing basketball as a junior with the Warrnambool basketball program.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Greg Smith made his NBL debut with the Geelong Supercats at 18 years of age. He went scoreless in his first NBL game.

1996
1996 would see coach Jim Calvin replaced by up-and-coming coach Ian Stacker, with the team overhauling its roster. Major moves included securing Rupert Sapwell (via South East Melbourne) and Matt Scalzi (via Adelaide) to fill the departures of David Graham and Justin Cass, and bringing in powerhouse import Ray Owes to replace Jeff Arnold. Owes was joined by returning guard Joey Wright, who was injured after just two games and replaced by high-scoring Orlando Williams.

Greg Smith added steady veteran presence at the point guard position for Geelong, averaging (8.5 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 4.4 assists, 1.5 steals, 0.2 blocks) across 17 games before suffering a season-ending injury on September 7 against the Melbourne Tigers. He had opened the season with a string of strong two-way performances, including 11 points and a game-high 11 assists in his debut against Perth on April 28. On May 3 against Hobart, he compiled 19 points (8-of-14 FG), 9 assists, and 2 steals in a 100–89 home win. He again reached double figures with 15 points and 6 assists versus Melbourne on May 18, and chipped in 10 points and 3 assists in a rematch with Hobart on May 31.

Through the early rounds, Smith’s playmaking helped stabilise the Supercats’ backcourt. He had 7 assists and 3 steals in Canberra on May 24, then notched another 5 assists with 11 points against the Magic on June 7. In a close loss to North Melbourne on June 22, he finished with 7 points, 4 assists, and 2 steals. His best scoring effort during the mid-season stretch came on June 28, where he poured in 18 points (5-of-7 FG, 2-of-4 3PT, 6-of-7 FT) against Adelaide.

Smith was a consistent contributor throughout July and August, recording multiple 4-assist outings and adding defensive pressure with his on-ball hustle. On August 24, in a dramatic 119–116 loss to Townsville, he added 5 points, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block in 20 minutes, supporting standout performances from Ray Owes (40 points, 22 rebounds) and Simon Kerle (24 points). The following night in a win over the Gold Coast Rollers—the last NBL win in club history—Smith did not feature heavily in the box score but watched as Owes tallied 33 points and 26 rebounds (13-of-19 FG, 7-of-7 FT), and Orlando Williams added 32 points and 7 assists. Geelong routed the Rollers 131–93 behind those performances.

Smith played his final game of the year on September 7 against the Melbourne Tigers, where he posted 11 points and 3 rebounds in 25 minutes before succumbing to injury and missing the final three games of the season. Without him, Geelong closed the year with a 113–120 loss to Sydney and a competitive 94–100 defeat to the Kings on September 28 in what would be the franchise’s last ever NBL fixture. In that contest, Rupert Sapwell had 23 points and 12 rebounds, while Simon Kerle delivered 20 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists. Sydney sealed the result behind 25-point outings from Shane Heal and Isaac Burton.

Ray Owes stood out as one of the league’s most dominant frontcourt players, averaging (22.2 points, 14.0 rebounds, and 1.7 assists) across 25 games and earning All-NBL First Team honours.

Despite the Supercats’ struggles, Owes remained a consistent force, leading the team in scoring, rebounding, and interior presence. Alongside Orlando Williams (23.5 points), Simon Kerle (17.0 points, 5.2 assists), Greg Smith (8.5 points, 4.4 assists), and Rupert Sapwell (11.7 points, 6.3 rebounds), Owes formed the core of Geelong’s offensive identity. As the club exited the league, Ray Owes’ commanding 1996 campaign was a standout individual performance that provided a final spark for a proud but fading franchise.

Despite the influx of talent, the Supercats endured a difficult campaign, finishing 13th with a 6–20 record and ultimately handing back their NBL licence at season’s end due to financial strain and league restructuring.

Greg Smith played seven seasons in the NBL, playing for both the Geelong Supercats and the Perth Wildcats. He averaged 4.3 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 136 NBL games.

Dan Boyce (837 Posts)

Dan Boyce is a die-hard Sydney Kings fan who grew up in Melbourne during the roaring 90's of Australian Basketball and spent far too much time collecting Futera NBL Basketball cards.