Cleveland Cavaliers legend Bobby "Bingo" Smith died at 77 on Thursday.
Smith was drafted by the Cavaliers in 1970 and played 10 seasons and over 700 games with the team. He was a small forward who led the team's 1974-75 season by scoring an average of 15.9 points per game.
“Bingo and I were teammates for almost a decade, and we experienced the full spectrum of emotions and successes here in Cleveland while representing our beloved Cavaliers,” Cavaliers television Color Analyst and Mr. Cavalier Austin Carr said in a statement. “From the early expansion years of the team to our first-ever playoff experience and the Miracle season, Bingo was always a giving teammate and one of the most fierce competitors I ever played with. This is truly a sad moment in our franchise history, and my heart goes out to his family.”
During the Cavaliers' 1975-76 season, the team made the playoffs for the first time and became known as the “Miracle of Richfield." During the second game, Smith scored 17 points, which included the game-winning shot, causing them to win 80-79 against the Bullets.
Smith finished his career with the San Diego Clippers, and the Cavaliers retired his number seven jersey in 1979.
"We lost a great man," Cavaliers radio analyst and former teammate Jim Chones said in a statement. "Praying for the Smith family and all their loved ones today, as we truly lost a brother, a teammate, a father and all-around great human being. His impact on the Cavaliers and so many of us that played with him will never be forgotten. My hearts goes out to all those he touched throughout his life. Rest in power, Bingo.”
