Adrian Smith (basketball)
A sharpshooting guard who went from a single All-Star selection to an Olympic gold medalist, defining a moment in Cincinnati Royals history.
Born 1936 (age 90)·American basketball player·Birthday: October 5·The Silent Generation
Biography
Adrian 'Odie' Smith carved out a solid, decade-long NBA career defined by one spectacular, sun-drenched year. The Kentucky native was a reliable backcourt presence for the Sacramento Kings and Cincinnati Royals, known for his steady jump shot and heady play. For most of his career, he was a valuable role player. Then came the 1965-66 season. Everything clicked: Smith won the All-Star Game MVP with a 24-point outburst, led the Royals in scoring, and earned his only All-Star berth. That summer, he was selected for the 1966 U.S. men's basketball team, which competed in the World Championships. His pinnacle came in 1964, however, as a member of the dominant U.S. Olympic team that cruised to gold in Tokyo. Smith's story is one of persistent excellence rewarded with a brilliant, concentrated flash of stardom.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Adrian was born in 1936, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Adrian Was Born
The biggest hits of 1936
#1 Movie
San Francisco
Best Picture
The Great Ziegfeld
Adrian's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1936Born
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1941Started school
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1949Became a teenager
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1952Could drive
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1954Could vote
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1957Turned 21
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1966Turned 30
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1976Turned 40
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1986Turned 50
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1996Turned 60
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 70
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 80
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Age 90 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won an Olympic gold medal as a member of the undefeated 1964 U.S. men's basketball team in Tokyo.
- Named the NBA All-Star Game MVP in 1966 after scoring a game-high 24 points.
- Averaged a career-high 18.4 points per game during his All-Star season in 1965-66.
- Played in 742 NBA games over ten seasons, primarily with the Cincinnati Royals.
Did You Know?
His nickname 'Odie' came from his younger sister's mispronunciation of 'Adie,' a short form of Adrian.
He and Hall of Famer Pat Riley were teammates on both the 1966 NBA All-Star team and the 1964 Olympic team.
He served in the U.S. Army before beginning his professional basketball career.
After retiring, he had a successful career in the banking and insurance industries in Kentucky.
“I was just a guy who worked hard and tried to be consistent every night.”
