Malachi Smith is a 6'4" guard from Belleville, Illinois, currently playing for the Memphis Hustle in the NBA G League. He began his collegiate career at Wright State University, where he earned All-Freshman honors in 2019. Smith then transferred to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, sitting out the 2019–20 season due to NCAA transfer rules. In his first season with the Mocs, he averaged 16.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game, earning First Team All-Southern Conference honors. He declared for the 2021 NBA Draft before returning to college. In November 2021, Smith scored a career-high 36 points in a game against Murray State. At the close of his sophomore season, he was named the Southern Conference Player of the Year by both the league's coaches and media. After going undrafted in the 2023 NBA Draft, Smith joined the Portland Trail Blazers for the 2023 NBA Summer League and later signed with them. However, he was waived in October 2023 and subsequently joined the Rip City Remix of the NBA G League. In January 2024, Smith was traded to the Wisconsin Herd and later to the Memphis Hustle in October 2024.
