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Mike Smrek in 2007 at a high school graduation ceremony.
Michael Frank Smrek (born 31 August 1962 in Welland, Ontario) is a retired Canadian professional basketball player. He played in the NBA.
[edit] College career
The 7'0, 250 lbs Smrek graduated from Eastdale High School in Welland, having grown up in Port Robinson, Ontario, a nearby rural farming community. At Canisius he averaged 9.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.6 blocks, and 0.8 assists in 23 minutes a contest over four years. He is the college's second leading career shot-blocking with 172 (compatriot Michael Meeks is first with 183). He also had the two best seasons for field-goal percentage in school history with a .632 FGP in 1983-84 and a .601 FGP in 1984-85.
Smrek was a back-up center, appearing in 194 games over seven seasons. He averaged 9.7 minutes, 2.9 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks a contest during this time. Drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers with the first pick in the second round of the 1985 NBA Draft out of Canisius College, he played as rookie with the Chicago Bulls, appearing in 38 games and averaged around his career totals.
Smrek went on to play two seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers where he earned an NBA championship ring, a year with the San Antonio Spurs, parts of three seasons with the Golden State Warriors and a brief stint with the Los Angeles Clippers.[1] He has also played for the Toronto Raptors in the 1996 preseason (but not in regular season games).
[edit] Europe
He played in Italy for Fulgor Libertas Forlì (1989-90), in the Greek League for Dafni BC (1992-93) and in Croatia for KK Split (1996-97).[2]
[edit] Current Career
Currently, Mike Smrek is employed as a Construction Technology teacher at St.Paul high school in Niagara Falls, Ontario and also works part time as a carpenter in Welland, Ontario.
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