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.

Greg Smith looked to build on his previous season, becomeing a regular part of the Supercats rotation in 1995. This season saw Geelong move on from imports Everette Stephens and Daren Rowe, along with veterans Vince Hinchen and Ray Borner (to Canberra), in favour of youth and new personnel.

In his third year at the helm, head coach Jim Calvin brought in Joey Wright, Jeff Arnold, Andrew Svaldenis (via Adelaide), and David Graham (via South East Melbourne), joining core returnees Cecil Exum, Simon Kerle, Jason Joynes, and Justin Cass.

Geelong opened the year with a 102–112 home loss to Canberra where Jeff Arnold (35 points and 12 rebounds) and Canberra’s Fred Cofield (39 points, 11-of-12 FT) starred offensively.

The Supercats responded with early wins over Adelaide (117–93), Townsville (87–85), and Gold Coast (116–106) to climb to 3–1, but the team couldn’t maintain its momentum. A string of losses mid-season derailed their playoff chances.

Joey Wright (22.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 5.8 assists) and Jeff Arnold (19.1 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 1.0 block) were the driving forces, while Simon Kerle (18.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3.8 assists), David Graham (15.3 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.5 assists), Andrew Svaldenis (10.6 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 1.8 assists), and Cecil Exum (10.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.3 steals) made consistent contributions. Greg Smith (5.6 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.8 assists) appeared in 25 games and was a steady bench presence. In the team’s final game of the season—a 103–129 loss to South East Melbourne—Smith scored 15 points (6-of-10 FG, 3-of-4 FT), collected 2 rebounds, dished 2 assists, and added a block. Joey Wright led Geelong with 39 points, while Adonis Jordan paced the Magic with 27.

Geelong wrapped up the season at 9–17, falling short of the playoffs for the third straight year under Calvin.

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.

PERTH WILDCATS
1998
Perth entered the NBL’s final winter season after finishing fourth at 17-13 and reaching the semifinals in 1997. Adrian Hurley stepped down after five seasons as head coach and Alan Black returned to the Wildcats, while David Van Dyke, George Banks, Scott Harkess and Ryan Gardiner departed. Captain Andrew Vlahov, Ricky Grace, Todd Lichti, Scott Fisher, James Crawford, Anthony Stewart, Gavin Vanderputten, Phil Doherty, Greg Brown and Nick Lackovic remained, with former Geelong guard Greg Smith and former Duke guard Thomas Hill (via Jacksonville) added to the roster.

Smith had missed Geelong’s final three games of 1996 after suffering a season-ending injury against Melbourne before the Supercats handed back their NBL licence. After spending 1997 with Geelong in the state league, he returned to the national competition with Perth and became part of Black’s backcourt rotation.

Smith (3.9 points and 3.3 assists across 34 games) appeared in all 30 regular-season games and each of Perth’s four postseason contests, averaging 18.9 minutes while shooting 54 percent from the field. His playmaking provided another option behind Grace, with Smith’s 112 assists ranking second on the Wildcats behind Grace.

Perth endured four consecutive defeats between March 6 and March 22 before immediately responding with five straight victories through April 11. Hill’s stint ended during the opening half of the season and reigning SBL MVP and Grand Final MVP Dewey Michaels (via Perth Redbacks) joined the roster, while Vlahov returned in April after missing Perth’s first 17 games.

Smith’s best scoring performance of the season was a 16-point game, his highest total since joining Perth and three points below the career-high 19 he had produced for Geelong in 1996.

Grace (18.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1.5 steals across 34 games) remained Perth’s primary playmaker and leading scorer and was selected to the All-NBL Third Team. Lichti (17.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.7 steals across 32 games) provided another major perimeter option, while Fisher (17.2 points and 9.2 rebounds across 32 games) returned to full-time action after knee reconstruction had limited him to two appearances the previous season and led Perth in rebounding. Crawford (16 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.2 steals across 34 games), Stewart (11.7 points and 3.3 assists across 34 games) and Vlahov (12.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1.6 steals across 17 games) rounded out the main rotation. Crawford, Fisher and Vlahov were selected to the NBL’s 20th Anniversary Team as Perth finished third with a 17-13 record.

The elimination finals opened at Beaton Park on June 12, where Smith appeared in Perth’s 95-85 victory as Fisher (37 points) and Lichti (18 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals) led the Wildcats, while Mat Campbell (27 points and 5 rebounds) was Wollongong’s leading scorer in the final NBL game played at the Snakepit.

Game two moved to Challenge Stadium, where Smith (0 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal) played 14 minutes as Fisher (21 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists) and Lichti (21 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals) led Perth. Elliot Hatcher (34 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, and 4 steals) was Wollongong’s best, but the Wildcats won 120-97 to complete the sweep.

Adelaide visited Challenge Stadium for the opening semifinal, where Smith again appeared as Crawford (22 points, 6 rebounds, and 1 steal) and Grace (20 points and 5 assists) led Perth. Brett Maher (36 points and 6 assists) made seven three-pointers and Darnell Mee (16 points and 14 rebounds) controlled the glass as the 36ers won 114-97.

The series shifted to Adelaide Arena for game two, where Smith played in Perth’s final game of the season as Vlahov (32 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals) and Grace (26 points and 6 assists) led the Wildcats. Mark Davis (32 points and 14 rebounds) was Adelaide’s standout as the 36ers won 117-110, completing the semifinal sweep and ending Perth’s season.

1999/00
Greg Smith entered his final season with Perth after seeing his role fluctuate during his first two years with the Wildcats. The former Geelong Supercats guard had averaged 4.5 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists across 27 games in 1998/99, providing experienced backcourt support behind Ricky Grace. Perth had finished sixth with a 13-13 record and failed to progress beyond the opening round of the playoffs, prompting coach Alan Black to make adjustments to the rotation. Smith returned alongside Grace, Anthony Stewart, Scott Fisher, Andrew Vlahov, Paul Rogers, James Harvey and Stephen Black, while Todd Lichti, James Crawford, Clinton McDaniel and Sidney Goodman were among those who departed. With Harvey and Black developing into more prominent members of the backcourt, Smith entered the season facing greater competition for minutes.

Smith (2.4 points across 14 games) saw his playing time decrease from 19.2 minutes per appearance the previous season to 12.2, with his scoring and playmaking opportunities also reduced. He appeared in 14 of Perth’s 28 regular-season games, recording 24 assists and 12 steals while remaining a reserve option behind Grace and Stewart. Although no confirmed injury explained his absences, the increasing depth of the Wildcats’ perimeter rotation limited Smith’s opportunities as the season progressed.

One of Smith’s strongest all-round games came against Wollongong at the WIN Entertainment Centre on November 5, where he recorded 4 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals in 20 minutes. He made both of his field-goal attempts and collected four defensive rebounds, providing valuable playmaking and defensive pressure as Perth secured a narrow 92-90 victory. Stewart (25 points, 2 rebounds and 3 assists) led the Wildcats’ scoring, while Vlahov added 16 points, 3 rebounds and 4 assists. CJ Bruton (31 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists) was outstanding for Wollongong, but Smith’s efficient contribution helped Perth secure an important road win during its recovery from a difficult opening stretch.

Smith later equalled his highest-scoring performance of the season against Cairns at the Perth Entertainment Centre on February 12, finishing with 8 points, 1 rebound, 4 assists and 2 steals in 14 minutes. He made all three of his field-goal attempts, including two three-pointers, and provided another reliable ball-handling option off the bench. Stewart (26 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists) led Perth, while Rogers contributed 18 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks. Rashamel Jones (25 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals) was Cairns’ leading performer, but the Wildcats recorded a comfortable 120-93 victory. Smith’s eight points matched his previous season high against Canberra on October 16, while his four assists and two steals highlighted the all-round contribution he could still provide in limited minutes.

Smith made his final NBL appearance against Brisbane at the Perth Entertainment Centre on March 4, contributing 2 points, 1 rebound, 4 assists and 1 steal in ten minutes. Harvey (19 points and 3 assists) led Perth’s scoring, while Rogers added 14 points, 20 rebounds and 3 blocks as the Wildcats defeated the Bullets 93-78. The game brought Smith’s seven-season NBL career to an end after four seasons with Geelong and three with Perth. Rogers (18.8 points, 10.4 rebounds and 1.5 blocks across 36 games) subsequently became the first Wildcats player to win the NBL Most Valuable Player award, with the team finishing the regular season on an eight-game winning streak to secure third place with a 22-6 record.

Smith did not appear in any postseason games. Perth opened its quarterfinal series against West Sydney with a 91-80 defeat on March 15 before winning game two 99-88 on March 17. The Wildcats claimed an 82-74 victory in the deciding third game on March 19, completing a 2-1 series comeback to advance to the semi-finals.

Townsville defeated Perth 101-78 in the second semi-final on March 31 after the Wildcats had secured a narrow 104-101 victory in the opening game on March 24. Perth then returned to Townsville for the deciding game on April 2, recording a convincing 104-84 victory to complete another 2-1 series win and advance to the Grand Final.

Perth opened the championship series against Victoria with an 84-78 victory at Melbourne Park on April 7, moving within one win of the club’s fourth NBL title. The Wildcats returned to the Perth Entertainment Centre on April 12 and defeated the Titans 83-76 to complete a 2-0 Grand Final sweep. Marcus Timmons was named Grand Final MVP as Smith finished his NBL career as a championship-winning player, with Perth securing its fourth title and what would prove to be its final championship at the Perth Entertainment Centre.

Greg Smith played seven seasons in the NBL, playing for both the Perth Wildcats and the Geelong Supercats. He averaged 4.4 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in 136 NBL games.