Malachi Smith works tailback, two-year contract awarded with Brooklyn Nets
After going undrafted in 2023, only to be shipped to four different NBA G League teams, former Gonzaga Bulldog guard Malachi Smith has secured a roster spot with the Brooklyn Nets for the remainder of the season and potentially further afield. Smith’s two-year deal comes after two 10-day contracts with the organization.
He earned $73,153 on each of his two 10-day contracts and will now earn $65,838 for the remaining five games of the 2025-26 season.
Smith averaged 7.3 points on a shooting split of 52.7% from the field/54.5% on three-pointers/100.0% at the free throw line, 2.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.0 steals per game in 10 appearances on two 10-day contracts with the Nets after playing for their G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets, and now gets a full standard contract.
Announcement
Along with most lower-tier franchises right now at the end of the regular season, Brooklyn tried to take a punt on someone from their development team. Smith took advantage of this opportunity and proved his worth among the best in the world.
He fought through the grind of the G League to get to this position. Smith has played with the G League’s Rip City Remix, Wisconsin Herd, Memphis Hustle and Long Island over the past three years.
Smith began his college career with the Wright State Raiders from 2018-2019, transferred to the Chattanooga Mocs from 2020-22, before heading to Spokane, Washington. He was named the West Coast Conference Sixth Man of the Year in 2023 before entering his name in the 2023 NBA Draft, bypassing his final season of college eligibility.
Announcement
This further demonstrates not only the professional talent Few has been able to bring through the program, but also the players who are willing to make their way to this super selective talent pool. Smith could have given up on the G League and shipped off to Europe or Asia, but he had confidence in his skills and work ethic to continue improving over these past three years.
It shows a lot about the type of players the Zags are looking for and want to be involved in what they’ve built after all these years.
Arden Cravalho is a graduate of Gonzaga University in the Bay Area… Follow him on X @a_cravalho