Russ Smith will now forever be connected to Kobe Bryant, kind of but not really. Former Memphis Grizzlies guard, Russ Smith, recently dropped a Kobe-esque 81 points in a Chinese league. A league where he is currently averaging 61 points per game according Jeff Greer of the Courier Journal.
In five games with Luoyang in the second-tier National Basketball League, the 6-foot Smith is averaging 61 points, 6.2 rebounds, 4.4 steals and 3.6 assists.
Smith scored 81 points in his latest game, making 25 field goals, including 10 3-pointers, and 21 free throws. His lowest scoring total in a game so far is 42 points.
Russ Smith could not stick in the NBA but maybe he doesn’t mind. Plenty of former NBA players have found massive success overseas and seem happier for it. Scoring 81 points and averaging over 60 is not exactly a normal occurrence in the association and chances are he wouldn’t score anywhere close to that much. Smith is growing his name in China and should enjoy every moment.
