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Kenny "The Jet" Smith

  • NBA World Champion
  • ESPN Sports Analyst & Commentator
  • Author, 'Talk of Champions: Stories of the People Who Made Me'

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Kenny "The Jet" Smith is an iconic figure in basketball and sports broadcasting, with a career that spans the NBA court and Sports Emmy Award-winning television. Smith played ten seasons in the NBA, with time spent as a member of the Sacramento Kings, Atlanta Hawks, Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic, Denver Nuggets, and the Houston Rockets, where he won back-to-back NBA championships in 1994 and 1995.

Following his on-court success, Smith became a household name as a studio analyst on TNT’s Inside the NBA, one of the most celebrated and entertaining shows in sports media, alongside Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, and Ernie Johnson. He is also a longtime CBS analyst for the NCAA March Madness tournament and, under a multi-year agreement, now appears across additional ESPN programming, including First Take, further expanding his presence across the sports media landscape.

Drawing from his experiences on the court, behind the camera, and throughout his life, Smith brings infectious energy and sharp perspective to every audience. He shares lessons on leadership, teamwork, and sustained excellence, as well as insights from his memoir Talk of Champions: Stories of the People Who Made Me. In person, Smith offers a candid, unforgettable glimpse inside the rarified world of elite sports and broadcasting, with valuable takeaways for any audience.

 

Kenny "The Jet" Smith headshot
Kenny Smith on LeBron Retiring, NBA Finals, Shaquille O'Neal, and Barkley's $200M Deal | BigBoyTV - Get Sharable Link
Talks & Conversations with Kenny "The Jet" Smith
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Building a Championship Mindset: Leadership Lessons from the Court & Beyond

Drawing from his NBA career, KENNY "THE JET" SMITH shares insights on cultivating a winning mindset, leading teams to success, and adapting to challenges. Smith's keynote or Q & A session is perfect for leaders, teams, and organizations seeking to elevate their performance.  ...

Drawing from his NBA career, KENNY "THE JET" SMITH shares insights on cultivating a winning mindset, leading teams to success, and adapting to challenges. Smith's keynote or Q & A session is perfect for leaders, teams, and organizations seeking to elevate their performance. 

The Power of Collaboration: How Teamwork Drives Excellence

KENNY "THE JET" SMITH explores the dynamics of teamwork, using stories from his championship runs, his time at Inside the NBA, and his journey through the NCAA, where he played college basketball at the University of North Carolina and serves as CBS's March Madness Analyst. In this keynote or Q & ...

KENNY "THE JET" SMITH explores the dynamics of teamwork, using stories from his championship runs, his time at Inside the NBA, and his journey through the NCAA, where he played college basketball at the University of North Carolina and serves as CBS's March Madness Analyst. In this keynote or Q & A session, Smith emphasizes the value of trust, communication, and shared vision in achieving collective success. 

Talk of Champions: Stories of the People Who Made Me

Superstar basketball commentator, KENNY "THE JET" SMITH, reveals humorous, behind-the-scenes stories from his playing and broadcasting careers, focusing on the star players, coaches, and mentors who inspired him along the way. In this keynote or Q & A session, he illuminates the personalities, a ...

Superstar basketball commentator, KENNY "THE JET" SMITH, reveals humorous, behind-the-scenes stories from his playing and broadcasting careers, focusing on the star players, coaches, and mentors who inspired him along the way. In this keynote or Q & A session, he illuminates the personalities, affections, and quirks of friends such as Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley, and Kobe Bryant, among others, and what he learned from each of them. Interweaving poignant material about his upbringing in Queens, New York, his parents, his children, and his marriage, Smith offers a uniquely candid conversation with inspiring takeaways.

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Books by Kenny "The Jet" Smith
Talk of Champions: Stories of the People Who Made Me: A Memoir

Talk of Champions: Stories of the People Who Made Me: A Memoir

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Press & Media
Inside the NBA’s Kenny Smith will appear on additional ESPN programming, including First Take, as part of a new, multi-year agreement - ESPN Press Room
Kenny Smith: ‘Inside The NBA’ is ‘Always Going to Be Around’ - Barrett Media
Kenny Smith Q&A: On FanDuel & How He's Handling the 'Last Dance' of 'Inside The NBA' - Sports Illustrated
Kenny Smith Outwits Shaquille O’Neal’s Off-Camera Prank After Bearing A Wild On-Air Shenanigan - Essentially Sports
Kenny Smith Explains Importance Of NBA’s Social Justice Initiatives - Forbes
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Ideas for the Meeting Planner
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Biography

Kenny Smith is an American sports commentator, former professional basketball player in the NBA, and author. He played for a total of ten seasons as a member of the Sacramento Kings, Atlanta Hawks, Houston Rockets, Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic, and Denver Nuggets. Kenny won two NBA World Championships with the Houston Rockets in 1994 and 1995. Additionally, he played college basketball at the University of North Carolina. As a sports commentator, he is an acclaimed NBA studio analyst for the Emmy Award–winning TNT show Inside the NBA. He joins Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, and Ernie Johnson each week during the NBA season to produce one of the most entertaining studio shows in sports television. He is also a CBS analyst during the NCAA March Madness tournament. In 2023, Kenny published his behind-the-scenes memoir, Talk of Champions: Stories of the People Who Made Me, through publisher Penguin Random House.

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