302:
286:
417:, in Pembroke, North Carolina. In December 1951, he took a three-month leave of absence from Pembroke State College to finish his playing career with the Baltimore Bullets. In his absence, Vernon Felton, a member of the Pembroke State faculty and former Appalachian State athlete, led the team to 12 wins and five losses; finishing the season at 12-10. Smawley was inducted into the
29:
1374:
1367:
1360:
1676:
1656:
1651:
1681:
1661:
1383:
1028:
214:
113:
1711:
1671:
1666:
1646:
413:
and basketball coach. Between 1951 and 1956, Smawley served as the
Athletic Director and head men's basketball coach at Pembroke State College, known today as
939:
900:
863:
653:
618:
585:
552:
1701:
245:
224:
690:
764:
725:
1706:
355:. Smawley developed his shot in an abandoned train depot near his home that was fashioned into a basketball court. Basketball historian
1686:
418:
391:
199:
1281:
348:
1605:
379:
249:
1329:
1352:
375:
72:
1344:
56:
1691:
1696:
454:
403:
383:
171:
934:
895:
858:
759:
720:
685:
648:
613:
580:
547:
399:
194:
190:
178:
166:
1301:
352:
262:
28:
1641:
1636:
1405:
1034:
474:
344:
1557:
1445:
1493:
1429:
1413:
1081:
483:
1477:
378:
before becoming one of the early stars of the
Basketball Association of America (which became the
1421:
410:
387:
340:
183:
1314:
296:
1277:
1581:
1333:
395:
301:
285:
1541:
1525:
1517:
1509:
1501:
1469:
1453:
1437:
356:
132:
1630:
1589:
1573:
1549:
1461:
360:
1613:
1326:
414:
371:
1597:
463:
333:
1533:
1565:
364:
351:, Smawley was one of the first basketball players to regularly use the
1274:
Origins of the Jump Shot: Eight Men Who Shook the World of
Basketball
402:, Smawley ranked sixth in the league in total points and fourth in
280:
1272:
Christgau, John (1999). "Belus and the
Sunshine Basketball Boys".
1230: Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
1243: Division regular season and conference tournament champion
1356:
33:
Smawley in a
Bennett's Prune Juice advertisement, circa 1950.
1385:
Appalachian State
Mountaineers men's basketball head coaches
1276:. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press. pp. 156–186.
409:
After his playing career ended, Smawley served as a school
1677:
College men's basketball head coaches in the United States
1299:
Joe DePriest. "He's the man who started the jump shot."
1657:
1652:
382:
in 1949.) From 1946 to 1952, Smawley competed for the
1224: Conference regular season champion
1682:
Sportspeople from
Rutherford County, North Carolina
315:
310:
234:
220:
210:
205:
189:
177:
164:
159:
154:
146:
138:
128:
120:
109:
99:
94:
86:
78:
62:
43:
38:
1217: Postseason invitational champion
332:(March 20, 1918 – April 24, 2003) was an American
16:American basketball player and coach (1918–2003)
268:North State Conference Coach of the Year (1943)
1368:
8:
415:The University of North Carolina at Pembroke
21:
1375:
1361:
1353:
825:
514:
428:
300:
284:
27:
20:
1079:
1026:
1000:
367:were using jump shots as early as 1934.
1264:
1712:UNC Pembroke Braves basketball coaches
1672:Basketball players from North Carolina
1667:Basketball coaches from North Carolina
1237: Division regular season champion
1662:Baltimore Bullets (1944–1954) players
1345:UNC Pembroke 1952 Indianhead Yearbook
7:
1250: Conference tournament champion
1295:
1293:
1211: National champion
419:North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame
14:
1647:American men's basketball players
1327:UNC Pembroke Athletic Record Book
349:Rutherford County, North Carolina
82:6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
1702:St. Louis Bombers (NBA) players
380:National Basketball Association
359:has concluded that Smawley and
1247:
1240:
1234:
1227:
1221:
1214:
1208:
1029:Appalachian State Mountaineers
1:
1082:Pembroke State College Braves
376:Appalachian State University
235:Career highlights and awards
305:at Basketball-Reference.com
105:(Ellenboro, North Carolina)
73:Mooresville, North Carolina
1728:
1707:Syracuse Nationals players
1204:
1687:Basketball player-coaches
1392:
1205:
1201:
1193:
1189:
1179:
1075:
1064:
968:
793:
431:
425:BAA/NBA career statistics
323:
294:
278:
274:
239:
230:
57:Ellenboro, North Carolina
26:
90:195 lb (88 kg)
1317:. basketball-reference.
1181:Pembroke State College:
1166:Pembroke State College
1149:Pembroke State College
1132:Pembroke State College
1115:Pembroke State College
1098:Pembroke State College
1332:June 26, 2013, at the
1302:The Charlotte Observer
1035:North State Conference
311:Career coaching record
263:North State Conference
374:basketball player at
1002:Statistics overview
997:Head coaching record
39:Personal information
1003:
246:NAIA tournament MVP
23:
1066:Appalachian State:
1049:Appalachian State
1001:
400:1948–49 BAA season
388:Syracuse Nationals
336:player and coach.
184:Syracuse Nationals
95:Career information
1624:
1623:
1256:
1255:
1251:
1244:
1238:
1231:
1225:
1218:
1212:
1090:
1041:
994:
993:
819:
818:
508:
507:
446:Minutes per game
394:, averaging 12.7
392:Baltimore Bullets
384:St. Louis Bombers
330:Belus Van Smawley
327:
326:
215:Appalachian State
200:Baltimore Bullets
172:St. Louis Bombers
114:Appalachian State
1719:
1617:
1609:
1601:
1593:
1585:
1577:
1569:
1561:
1553:
1545:
1537:
1529:
1521:
1513:
1505:
1497:
1489:
1481:
1473:
1465:
1457:
1449:
1441:
1433:
1425:
1417:
1409:
1401:
1386:
1377:
1370:
1363:
1354:
1347:
1342:
1336:
1324:
1318:
1312:
1306:
1297:
1288:
1287:
1269:
1249:
1248:
1242:
1241:
1236:
1235:
1229:
1228:
1223:
1222:
1216:
1215:
1210:
1209:
1088:
1039:
1004:
826:
515:
494:Points per game
491: PPG
480: APG
471: RPG
460: FT%
451: FG%
443: MPG
429:
306:
304:
290:
288:
69:
53:
51:
31:
24:
1727:
1726:
1722:
1721:
1720:
1718:
1717:
1716:
1692:Shooting guards
1627:
1626:
1625:
1620:
1612:
1604:
1596:
1588:
1582:Houston Fancher
1580:
1572:
1564:
1556:
1548:
1540:
1532:
1524:
1516:
1508:
1500:
1492:
1484:
1476:
1468:
1460:
1452:
1444:
1436:
1428:
1420:
1412:
1406:J. T. C. Wright
1404:
1396:
1388:
1384:
1381:
1351:
1350:
1343:
1339:
1334:Wayback Machine
1325:
1321:
1313:
1309:
1298:
1291:
1284:
1271:
1270:
1266:
1261:
1246:
1245:
1239:
1233:
1232:
1226:
1220:
1219:
1213:
1207:
999:
824:
513:
437: GP
427:
396:points per game
370:Smawley was an
295:
279:
265:champion (1943)
147:Coaching career
142:14, 2, 10, 8, 5
104:
71:
67:
55:
49:
47:
34:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1725:
1723:
1715:
1714:
1709:
1704:
1699:
1697:Small forwards
1694:
1689:
1684:
1679:
1674:
1669:
1664:
1659:
1654:
1649:
1644:
1639:
1629:
1628:
1622:
1621:
1619:
1618:
1610:
1602:
1594:
1586:
1578:
1570:
1562:
1558:Kevin Cantwell
1554:
1546:
1542:Press Maravich
1538:
1530:
1526:Francis Hoover
1522:
1518:Flucie Stewart
1514:
1510:Francis Hoover
1506:
1502:Graydon Eggers
1498:
1490:
1482:
1474:
1470:Flucie Stewart
1466:
1458:
1454:C. B. Johnston
1450:
1446:Vann G. Henson
1442:
1438:Graydon Eggers
1434:
1426:
1418:
1410:
1402:
1393:
1390:
1389:
1382:
1380:
1379:
1372:
1365:
1357:
1349:
1348:
1337:
1319:
1307:
1289:
1282:
1263:
1262:
1260:
1257:
1254:
1253:
1203:
1202:
1200:
1197:
1191:
1190:
1188:
1186:
1183:
1177:
1176:
1174:
1172:
1170:
1167:
1164:
1160:
1159:
1157:
1155:
1153:
1150:
1147:
1143:
1142:
1140:
1138:
1136:
1133:
1130:
1126:
1125:
1123:
1121:
1119:
1116:
1113:
1109:
1108:
1106:
1104:
1102:
1099:
1096:
1092:
1091:
1077:
1076:
1074:
1071:
1068:
1062:
1061:
1059:
1056:
1053:
1050:
1047:
1043:
1042:
1024:
1023:
1020:
1017:
1014:
1011:
1008:
998:
995:
992:
991:
988:
985:
982:
979:
976:
973:
970:
966:
965:
962:
959:
956:
953:
948:
945:
942:
937:
931:
930:
927:
922:
919:
914:
911:
908:
903:
898:
892:
891:
886:
881:
878:
875:
872:
869:
866:
861:
855:
854:
851:
848:
845:
842:
839:
836:
833:
830:
823:
820:
817:
816:
813:
810:
807:
804:
801:
798:
795:
791:
790:
787:
784:
781:
778:
775:
770:
767:
762:
756:
755:
752:
749:
744:
739:
734:
731:
728:
723:
717:
716:
713:
710:
705:
702:
699:
696:
693:
688:
682:
681:
678:
673:
670:
667:
664:
661:
656:
651:
645:
644:
639:
636:
633:
630:
627:
624:
621:
616:
610:
609:
606:
603:
600:
597:
594:
591:
588:
583:
577:
576:
573:
570:
567:
564:
561:
558:
555:
550:
544:
543:
540:
537:
534:
531:
528:
525:
522:
519:
512:
511:Regular season
509:
506:
505:
502:
495:
492:
488:
487:
481:
478:
472:
468:
467:
461:
458:
452:
448:
447:
444:
441:
438:
434:
433:
426:
423:
357:John Christgau
325:
324:
321:
320:
317:
313:
312:
308:
307:
292:
291:
276:
275:
272:
271:
270:
269:
266:
254:
253:
237:
236:
232:
231:
228:
227:
225:Pembroke State
222:
218:
217:
212:
208:
207:
203:
202:
197:
187:
186:
181:
175:
174:
169:
162:
161:
157:
156:
155:Career history
152:
151:
148:
144:
143:
140:
136:
135:
133:Shooting guard
130:
126:
125:
122:
121:Playing career
118:
117:
111:
107:
106:
101:
97:
96:
92:
91:
88:
84:
83:
80:
76:
75:
70:(aged 85)
66:April 24, 2003
64:
60:
59:
54:March 18, 1918
45:
41:
40:
36:
35:
32:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1724:
1713:
1710:
1708:
1705:
1703:
1700:
1698:
1695:
1693:
1690:
1688:
1685:
1683:
1680:
1678:
1675:
1673:
1670:
1668:
1665:
1663:
1660:
1658:
1655:
1653:
1650:
1648:
1645:
1643:
1640:
1638:
1635:
1634:
1632:
1615:
1611:
1607:
1603:
1599:
1595:
1591:
1590:Buzz Peterson
1587:
1583:
1579:
1575:
1574:Buzz Peterson
1571:
1567:
1563:
1559:
1555:
1551:
1550:Bobby Cremins
1547:
1543:
1539:
1535:
1531:
1527:
1523:
1519:
1515:
1511:
1507:
1503:
1499:
1495:
1494:Harold Quincy
1491:
1487:
1486:Belus Smawley
1483:
1479:
1475:
1471:
1467:
1463:
1462:Eugene Garbee
1459:
1455:
1451:
1447:
1443:
1439:
1435:
1431:
1430:Chapel Wilson
1427:
1423:
1419:
1415:
1414:Chapel Wilson
1411:
1407:
1403:
1399:
1395:
1394:
1391:
1387:
1378:
1373:
1371:
1366:
1364:
1359:
1358:
1355:
1346:
1341:
1338:
1335:
1331:
1328:
1323:
1320:
1316:
1315:Belus Smawley
1311:
1308:
1305:. 4 May 2003.
1304:
1303:
1296:
1294:
1290:
1285:
1283:0-8032-6394-5
1279:
1275:
1268:
1265:
1258:
1252:
1198:
1196:
1192:
1187:
1184:
1182:
1178:
1175:
1173:
1171:
1168:
1165:
1162:
1161:
1158:
1156:
1154:
1151:
1148:
1145:
1144:
1141:
1139:
1137:
1134:
1131:
1128:
1127:
1124:
1122:
1120:
1117:
1114:
1111:
1110:
1107:
1105:
1103:
1100:
1097:
1094:
1093:
1087:
1086:(Independent)
1084:
1083:
1078:
1072:
1069:
1067:
1063:
1060:
1057:
1054:
1051:
1048:
1045:
1044:
1038:
1036:
1031:
1030:
1025:
1021:
1018:
1015:
1012:
1009:
1006:
1005:
996:
989:
986:
983:
980:
977:
974:
971:
967:
963:
960:
957:
954:
952:
949:
946:
943:
941:
938:
936:
933:
932:
928:
926:
923:
920:
918:
915:
912:
909:
907:
904:
902:
899:
897:
894:
893:
890:
887:
885:
882:
879:
876:
873:
870:
867:
865:
862:
860:
857:
856:
852:
849:
846:
843:
840:
837:
834:
831:
828:
827:
821:
814:
811:
808:
805:
802:
799:
796:
792:
788:
785:
782:
779:
776:
774:
771:
768:
766:
763:
761:
758:
757:
753:
750:
748:
745:
743:
740:
738:
735:
732:
729:
727:
724:
722:
719:
718:
714:
711:
709:
706:
703:
700:
697:
694:
692:
689:
687:
684:
683:
679:
677:
674:
671:
668:
665:
662:
660:
657:
655:
652:
650:
647:
646:
643:
640:
637:
634:
631:
628:
625:
622:
620:
617:
615:
612:
611:
607:
604:
601:
598:
595:
592:
589:
587:
584:
582:
579:
578:
574:
571:
568:
565:
562:
559:
556:
554:
551:
549:
546:
545:
541:
538:
535:
532:
529:
526:
523:
520:
517:
516:
510:
503:
500:
496:
493:
490:
489:
485:
482:
479:
476:
473:
470:
469:
465:
462:
459:
456:
453:
450:
449:
445:
442:
440:Games played
439:
436:
435:
430:
424:
422:
420:
416:
412:
407:
405:
401:
398:. During the
397:
393:
389:
385:
381:
377:
373:
368:
366:
362:
361:Kenny Sailors
358:
354:
350:
346:
342:
337:
335:
331:
322:
318:
314:
309:
303:
298:
293:
287:
282:
277:
273:
267:
264:
261:
260:
259:
258:
251:
247:
244:
243:
242:
238:
233:
229:
226:
223:
219:
216:
213:
209:
204:
201:
198:
196:
192:
188:
185:
182:
180:
176:
173:
170:
168:
163:
158:
153:
149:
145:
141:
137:
134:
131:
127:
123:
119:
115:
112:
108:
102:
98:
93:
89:
87:Listed weight
85:
81:
79:Listed height
77:
74:
65:
61:
58:
46:
42:
37:
30:
25:
22:Belus Smawley
19:
1614:Dustin Kerns
1485:
1478:Clyde Canipe
1397:
1340:
1322:
1310:
1300:
1273:
1267:
1206:
1194:
1180:
1085:
1080:
1065:
1032:
1027:
950:
924:
916:
905:
888:
883:
772:
746:
741:
736:
707:
675:
658:
641:
504:Career high
498:
408:
372:All-American
369:
338:
329:
328:
319:57–58 (.496)
256:
255:
240:
68:(2003-04-24)
18:
1642:2003 deaths
1637:1918 births
1608:(2014–2019)
1600:(2010–2014)
1598:Jason Capel
1592:(2009–2010)
1584:(2000–2009)
1576:(1996–2000)
1568:(1986–1996)
1560:(1981–1986)
1552:(1975–1981)
1544:(1972–1975)
1536:(1957–1972)
1528:(1947–1957)
1520:(1946–1947)
1512:(1945–1946)
1504:(1944–1945)
1496:(1943–1944)
1488:(1942–1943)
1480:(1940–1942)
1472:(1935–1940)
1464:(1933–1935)
1456:(1929–1933)
1448:(1928–1929)
1440:(1927–1928)
1432:(1925–1927)
1422:T. R. Baine
1416:(1922–1924)
1408:(1920–1922)
1400:(1919–1920)
1089:(1951–1956)
1040:(1942–1943)
1022:Postseason
1016:Conference
466:percentage
457:percentage
404:field goals
116:(1939–1943)
100:High school
1631:Categories
1259:References
464:Free-throw
455:Field-goal
334:basketball
289:at NBA.com
241:As player:
160:As player:
50:1918-03-18
1534:Bob Light
1019:Standing
940:St. Louis
901:St. Louis
864:St. Louis
765:Baltimore
726:Baltimore
654:St. Louis
619:St. Louis
586:St. Louis
553:St. Louis
486:per game
477:per game
421:in 1992.
411:principal
363:of rural
353:jump shot
257:As coach:
221:1951–1956
211:1942–1943
206:As coach:
150:1951–1956
124:1946–1952
103:Ellenboro
1616:(2019– )
1566:Tom Apke
1398:No coach
1330:Archived
1163:1955–56
1146:1954–55
1129:1953–54
1112:1952–53
1095:1951–52
1046:1942–43
1013:Overall
822:Playoffs
691:Syracuse
475:Rebounds
129:Position
1606:Jim Fox
1007:Season
969:Career
794:Career
760:1951–52
721:1950–51
686:1950–51
649:1949–50
614:1948–49
581:1946–47
548:1946–47
501:
484:Assists
432:Legend
365:Wyoming
345:forward
339:A 6'1"
316:College
110:College
1424:(1925)
1280:
1195:Total:
497:
406:made.
390:, and
299:
283:
139:Number
1199:57–58
1185:41–53
1169:11–11
1152:10–12
1010:Team
990:11.6
929:11.0
832:Team
829:Year
815:12.7
754:13.8
680:13.7
608:11.1
575:11.9
521:Team
518:Year
347:from
341:guard
297:Stats
281:Stats
165:1946–
1278:ISBN
1135:6–16
1118:14–9
1070:16–5
1052:16–5
981:.690
978:.320
964:5.0
955:.000
951:.417
935:1949
917:.778
913:.302
896:1948
889:17.3
877:.545
874:.324
859:1947
853:PPG
850:APG
847:RPG
844:FT%
841:FG%
838:MPG
806:.797
803:.347
800:12.6
789:3.6
780:.824
777:.206
773:12.6
742:.859
737:.389
715:7.8
704:.815
701:.339
669:.828
666:.345
642:15.5
632:.747
629:.372
599:.740
596:.308
566:.766
563:.321
542:PPG
539:APG
536:RPG
533:FT%
530:FG%
527:MPG
499:Bold
250:1943
195:1952
191:1950
179:1950
167:1950
63:Died
44:Born
1101:0–5
1073:9–0
1058:1st
1055:9–0
835:GP
812:2.3
809:2.8
797:261
783:1.6
751:2.8
747:3.0
712:2.3
708:3.0
676:3.5
638:3.1
524:GP
1633::
1292:^
987:.3
972:11
961:.0
925:.3
884:.3
786:.7
769:11
730:44
695:16
659:61
623:59
605:.4
590:48
572:.5
557:22
386:,
1376:e
1369:t
1362:v
1286:.
1037:)
1033:(
984:–
975:–
958:–
947:–
944:2
921:–
910:–
906:6
880:–
871:–
868:3
733:–
698:–
672:–
663:–
635:–
626:–
602:–
593:–
569:–
560:–
343:/
252:)
248:(
193:–
52:)
48:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
