The Clippers lost one of their charter stars yesterday with the passing of former All-Star guard Randy Smith. The 60-year-old former Clipper died from an apparent heart attack while working out on a treadmill at his Connecticut home.
Smith was one of the "good guys." A soccer and basketball star at Buffalo State, he was an unheralded 7th round draft pick of the Buffalo Braves in 1971. In his very first NBA game, the 6-foot-3 Smith was asked to guard NBA super star Elgin Baylor of the Los Angeles Lakers. He must have done okay because he’d go on to score more than 16,000 in his 12-year NBA career (16,262 to be exact).
The Clippers reacquired Randy Smith in 1982. Widely known as the league’s fastest player, he was also a true "ironman." He’d play in a then league record 906 consecutive games before finally sitting one out.
Ralph Lawler, Clippers.com
