1. Overview
Kianna Smith is an American-South Korean professional basketball player who primarily plays as a combo guard. She is known for her collegiate career with the California Golden Bears and the Louisville Cardinals, before embarking on a professional career in both the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) with the Los Angeles Sparks and the Women's Korean Basketball League (WKBL) with the Samsung Life Blueminx. Smith was highly regarded during her high school career, earning McDonald's All-American honors and being rated as a five-star recruit by ESPN. She was also a first overall pick in the WKBL draft.
2. Early life
Kianna Smith's early life was marked by her birth in Moreno Valley, California and her familial connection to basketball, which significantly influenced her development as a player.
2.1. Birth and childhood
Kianna Smith was born on June 10, 1999, in Moreno Valley, California. She developed her basketball skills early on by playing against her older brother, Jamal, in their backyard. Her father, John Smith, is an American who served as an associate head coach for the men's basketball team at California State University, Fullerton, and her mother, Kelly Smith, is South Korean. She also has a younger sister named Kylee. The proximity of her school to Cal State Fullerton allowed Smith to frequently train with the men's team at Titan Gym after school. Her grandfather, Fred "Lucky" Smith, was drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 1968 NBA draft after playing collegiately at Hawaii. Her uncle, Steve, previously served as an assistant coach for the Connecticut Sun in the WNBA.
2.2. High school career
Smith began her high school basketball career at John W. North High School in Riverside, California before transferring to Troy High School in Fullerton, California for her junior season. During her junior year at Troy, she averaged 15 points per game and earned Orange County Register All-County First Team honors. In her senior year, Smith excelled further, averaging 21.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, approximately four assists, and three steals per game. She led her team to the semifinals of the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Open Division. For her outstanding performance, she was named the Orange County Register Player of the Year and received the John R. Wooden Award as the top player in the CIF Southern Section Division I. Smith was also selected to participate in the prestigious McDonald's All-American Game. She competed on the Amateur Athletic Union circuit for West Coast Premier, playing alongside notable players like Kennedy Burke and Destiny Littleton.
2.3. College recruiting
Kianna Smith was a highly sought-after prospect during her college recruiting process. She was rated as a five-star recruit and recognized as the fifth-best guard in the 2017 class by ESPN. Smith ultimately committed to play college basketball for California under head coach Lindsay Gottlieb, becoming the first player to commit to the program for her class. In November 2016, she officially signed her National Letter of Intent with California, solidifying her commitment.
3. College career
Kianna Smith's college career spanned two prominent programs: the California Golden Bears and the Louisville Cardinals, where she showcased her skills and leadership.
3.1. California Golden Bears
Smith made an immediate impact during her freshman season with the California Golden Bears. On November 24, 2017, she recorded 17 points and 12 assists in an 87-66 victory against Manhattan. Her performance earned her the title of National Freshman of the Week from the United States Basketball Writers Association after she contributed 14 points, eight assists, and four rebounds in a 62-52 win over Kentucky on December 21. In the first round of the 2018 NCAA Division I Tournament on March 16, 2018, Smith achieved a season-high 20 points and eight assists, though California ultimately fell to Virginia in a 68-62 loss. As a freshman, she averaged 8.6 points and 4.8 assists per game, earning Pac-12 All-Freshman honors. In her sophomore season, on February 8, 2019, Smith scored a sophomore season-high 20 points in a 105-82 defeat against third-ranked Oregon. She concluded her sophomore year averaging 9.8 points per game.
3.2. Louisville Cardinals
Following her sophomore season, Smith transferred to Louisville. She was required to sit out for one season as a redshirt due to NCAA transfer rules. Her decision to join Louisville was influenced by head coach Jeff Walz's track record of developing Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) players, her desire to learn from future professional teammates, and the opportunity to contend for a national title. During her redshirt year, Smith was an active member of the scout team and frequently engaged in one-on-one matchups with Jazmine Jones. Before her junior season, she was appointed as a team co-captain alongside Dana Evans.
Smith made her Louisville debut on December 4, 2020, after missing the first two games of the season due to illness. In her first game, she posted a season-high 21 points, six rebounds, and six assists in a dominant 116-75 victory against DePaul. On February 11, 2021, she once again scored 21 points in an 85-70 win against Georgia Tech. Smith played a crucial role in leading her team to a runner-up finish at the 2021 ACC tournament and was named to the all-tournament first team. As a junior, she averaged 11.4 points and 2.2 assists per game.
In her senior season, Smith took on a leading role for Louisville following the graduation of Evans. On December 16, she achieved a career-high 22 points, hitting 5-of-7 shots from three-point range, in an 82-38 win against Eastern Kentucky. Smith played a key part in Louisville reaching the Final Four of the NCAA tournament. During her senior year, she averaged 12 points, three rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game.
4. Professional career
Kianna Smith transitioned from her collegiate career to professional basketball, playing in both the American and Korean leagues.
4.1. Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Smith was selected in the second round of the 2022 WNBA draft, as the 16th overall pick, by the Los Angeles Sparks. Following the preseason, she was initially waived by the Sparks on May 4, 2022. However, she rejoined the team on July 4, after signing a seven-day hardship contract. After playing in two games, she re-signed with the Sparks on another seven-day contract on July 26. On August 2, Smith signed with the team for the remainder of the season. As a rookie, she averaged 2.6 points and shot 31.4 percent from the field in 10.3 minutes per game. On January 16, 2023, Smith was traded to the Connecticut Sun.
4.2. Women's Korean Basketball League (WKBL)
On September 16, 2022, Kianna Smith was selected as the first overall pick in the Women's Korean Basketball League (WKBL) draft by the Samsung Life Blueminx. She wears jersey number 14 for the team. Smith made a remarkable debut in the WKBL on November 1, recording 21 points, five assists, and four rebounds in an 85-69 victory over Bucheon Hana 1Q. Her 21-point performance in her first game set a new rookie single-game scoring record in the league.
5. Personal life
Kianna Smith is the daughter of Kelly Smith (whose Korean name is 최원선Choe Won-seonKorean) and John Smith. Her father is the head men's basketball coach at Cal Poly and played college basketball at UNLV and Dominican University of California. Her older brother, Jamal, also played basketball for Cal State Fullerton and Cal Poly before becoming a professional player. She also has a younger sister named Kylee. Smith's height is listed at 70 in (178 cm). Her grandfather, Fred "Lucky" Smith, was drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 1968 NBA draft after a college career at Hawaii. Her uncle, Steve, previously served as an assistant coach for the Connecticut Sun of the WNBA.
6. Awards and honors
Kianna Smith has received numerous awards and honors throughout her high school, college, and professional basketball careers:
- High School:**
- Orange County Register All-County First Team
- Orange County Register Player of the Year
- John R. Wooden Award (CIF Southern Section Division I)
- McDonald's All-American
- College:**
- United States Basketball Writers Association National Freshman of the Week
- Pac-12 All-Freshman Team
- ACC Tournament All-Tournament First Team
- Professional:**
- WKBL Rookie of the Year (2023)
7. Career statistics
This section provides Kianna Smith's game statistics from her professional career in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and her collegiate career.
7.1. WNBA
Career statistics for the Women's National Basketball Association regular season:
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TO | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Los Angeles | 11 | 0 | 10.3 | .314 | .278 | 1.000 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 2.6 |
| Career | 1 year, 1 team | 11 | 0 | 10.3 | .314 | .278 | 1.000 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 2.6 |
7.2. College
Career statistics from collegiate basketball:
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TO | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-18 | California | 32 | 31 | 31.8 | .386 | .319 | .686 | 2.7 | 4.8 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 2.3 | 8.6 |
| 2018-19 | California | 33 | 33 | 33.7 | .399 | .350 | .655 | 2.4 | 2.8 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 1.7 | 9.8 |
| 2019-20 | Louisville | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 2020-21 | Louisville | 28 | 20 | 27.8 | .444 | .379 | .800 | 3.9 | 2.2 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 1.1 | 11.4 |
| 2021-22 | Louisville | 34 | 34 | 28.9 | .429 | .367 | .688 | 3.0 | 2.7 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 1.3 | 12.0 |
| Career | 128 | 118 | 30.4 | .416 | .356 | .700 | 2.9 | 3.1 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 1.6 | 10.4 | |