NBA
MS
#36

Marcus Smart

Guard · Los Angeles Lakers · 6'3", 220 lb · Born Mar 6, 1994 · Flower Mound, Texas · Drafted 6th overall, 2014
2022 DPOY3× All-Defensive First TeamThe CobraLos Angeles Lakers
NBALos Angeles LakersGuards
Compare:vs Reavesvs Aytonvs LaRaviavs Hayesvs Doncicvs Kennard
In short

Marcus Smart is a veteran defensive guard for the Los Angeles Lakers and the 2022 NBA Defensive Player of the Year — the first guard to win the award since Gary Payton in 1996. Drafted 6th in 2014 out of Oklahoma State, he spent nine seasons as the defensive heart of the Boston Celtics before stops in Memphis and Washington. He signed with the Lakers in 2025 as a point-of-attack stopper and veteran leader.

Matchup model · next gameMedium confidenceWed, Nov 11
vsMemphis GrizzliesDrop coverage
Proj. points
9.3
range 6.6–12
Line 9.5
48%
to go over
Team win
64%
114–110
Poi 9.3 Lean underReb 2.8 Lean underAss 3 Lean underPRA 15.1 Lean over
Likely on himKentavious Caldwell-Pope· 78 Perimeter DStrong defender
5+ pts92%10+ pts41%

Model lines Smart at 9.3 pts (range 6.6–12) vs a 9.5 line — roughly a coin flip to clear it (48%).

Biggest edge: scheme fit — drop coverage concedes the pull-up/mid-range he likes.

Full matchup breakdown · all markets →
Balladex Matchup Model — modeled from real roster ratings, scoring baselines & defender-matchup history. Schedule, availability & head-to-head samples are illustrative in this prototype; production wires live schedule, injury & player-tracking feeds. Not betting advice.
✦ Ask anything about Smart
The Smart Story — narrated
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A hustle-and-defense icon and Defensive Player of the Year — the veteran stopper the Lakers added for toughness.

A Big 12 Player of the Year at Oklahoma State, Smart was drafted 6th in 2014 and became the defensive heart of Boston.

🤠 Oklahoma State6th, 2014

In 2022 he won Defensive Player of the Year — the first guard since Gary Payton in 1996.

🏆 2022 DPOYFirst guard since Payton

Traded to Memphis in 2023 (before Boston's title) and Washington, he signed with the Lakers in July 2025.

MEM · WAS → LAL2 yr / $11M

Nicknamed 'The Cobra,' he brings point-of-attack defense and toughness to a star-driven roster.

9.3 ppg · 54 startsPoint-of-attack D
— end of story —
Want the full numbers? Open the breakdown →
PPG
9.3
2025-26
RPG
2.8
per game
APG
3
per game
FG%
.395
.331 from three
LIFE

Roots & the rise

A hustle-and-defense icon and Defensive Player of the Year — the Lakers' veteran perimeter stopper.

Marcus Osmond Smart was born in Flower Mound, Texas and won Big 12 Player of the Year at Oklahoma State before Boston drafted him 6th in 2014. Over nine seasons he became the defensive soul of the Celtics, and in 2022 won Defensive Player of the Year — the first guard to do so since Gary Payton in 1996, and only the fifth guard ever.

Traded to Memphis in 2023 (just before Boston's 2024 title) and later to Washington, he signed with the Lakers in July 2025. Nicknamed 'The Cobra' for diving on loose balls and taking charges, he brings point-of-attack defense, three-point shooting, and toughness — appearing in 62 games with 54 starts in 2025-26.

Sources: Wikipedia, NBA.com, Basketball-Reference, ESPN.

BEYOND THE GAME

Beyond the game

Smart's competitiveness is rooted in loss and family: he lost his brother Todd to cancer as a boy and his mother, Camellia, to cancer in 2018, tragedies he has said drive his all-out playing style. One of five brothers, he built a reputation as the ultimate winning-plays guard — the kind of player teammates credit with 'getting everybody going.'

His identity is defense taken to an extreme. With a 6-foot-9 wingspan on a 6-foot-3 frame, he guards all five positions and switches with rare efficiency, earning three All-Defensive First Team nods and a Defensive Player of the Year award. For a Lakers team built on offense, his veteran point-of-attack defense is a targeted, valuable addition.

PERSONALITY

The person

A relentless, versatile defensive stopper and vocal leader — hustle and toughness personified.

Elite defender2022 Defensive Player of the Year; guards all five positions.
Hustle'The Cobra' — dives for loose balls and takes charges.
Vocal leaderA galvanizing veteran presence who sets a defensive tone.
PLAYER DNA

Archetype & ratings

Archetype
Defensive Guard · Former DPOY
Temperament
Connector
Leadership
70/100
Scoring56
Playmaking57
Rebounding41
Perimeter D86
Rim protection21
Spacing59
Athleticism70
Clutch62
Elite on-ball DEx-DPOYConnector
ANALYSIS

What the numbers say

Defense for an offense-first team

Smart is a targeted fit: a Lakers roster built around Dončić's and LeBron's creation needed a perimeter stopper, and Smart guards the point of attack, switches across positions, and sets a defensive tone. His 2022 Defensive Player of the Year award — a rarity for a guard — speaks to a versatility and IQ that still matter at 32.

STATS

Season by season

Per game

SeasonGPMINPTSREBASTFG%3P%
2025-266228.59.32.83.0.395.331

Source: Basketball-Reference.

ADVANCED

Advanced & historical

Where he sits in history

2022NBA Defensive Player of the Year — the first guard to win since Gary Payton (1996)
DefenseThree-time All-Defensive First Team; guards all five positions
CollegeBig 12 Player of the Year at Oklahoma State

Hardware

1×
Defensive Player of the Year (2022)
3×
All-Defensive First Team
OUTLOOK

Where it's headed

AI-generated · updated July 13, 2026

A veteran defensive stopper and leader — perimeter defense for an offense-first Lakers team.

On a two-year, $11 million deal, Smart gives the Lakers point-of-attack defense, positional versatility, and veteran toughness — exactly what a star-driven roster needs. Age has trimmed his offense, but his defensive impact and leadership remain valuable.

Perimeter defenseElite
Versatility / switchingElite
LeadershipHigh
ScoringLimited

Contract

Deal
2 yr / $11M signed 2025
Role
Perimeter stopper veteran
Age
32 veteran
Bottom line

A Defensive Player of the Year and hustle icon. On an offense-first Lakers team, 'The Cobra' is the targeted perimeter defense and toughness that stars need.

FAQ

Quick answers

Did Marcus Smart win Defensive Player of the Year?

Yes — in 2022, the first guard to win it since Gary Payton in 1996, and only the fifth guard ever.

Was Marcus Smart on the 2024 champion Celtics?

No — he was traded from Boston to Memphis in June 2023, a year before the Celtics' 2024 title.

How did Marcus Smart join the Lakers?

He signed a two-year, $11 million deal in July 2025 after a buyout with Washington.