NORWICH, Conn. (AP) — Randy Smith, an All-Star with the Buffalo Braves in the 1970s who once held the NBA record for consecutive games, died at a Connecticut hospital. He was 60.
Smith was brought to the emergency room of William W. Backus Hospital on Thursday and pronounced dead. The hospital on Friday did not give a cause of death.
"I am stunned, there's a lack of any other words," said Durie Burns, a college teammate of Smith's at Buffalo State. "He was like a brother to me."
Smith, 6-foot-3, was drafted by the Braves in the seventh round in 1971, averaging more than 13 points in his rookie season.
He played 13 years in the NBA and appeared in 906 consecutive games from 1972-83. His mark was broken by A.C. Green in 1997.
"He played hurt, gave it 100 percent and took pride in that," Burns said.
Smith was fast and durable, a good shooter and great jumper. He was one of the most popular players in Braves history, and in teaming with scoring champion Bob McAdoo he helped make the Braves under coach Jack Ramsay one of the league's exciting clubs.
Smith spent seven seasons with the Braves before the franchise moved to San Diego. He also played for Cleveland, New York and Atlanta and retired in 1983.
At the 1978 All-Star game, Smith — playing alongside the likes of Julius Erving, Moses Malone, Dave Cowens and Pete Maravich — scored 27 points and was the Most Valuable Player.
He averaged 16.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 4.6 assists for his career. In one stretch, he averaged more than 20 points for four straight seasons. He finished with 16,262 points.
After his retirement, Smith worked as a host and greeter for the Mohegan Sun Casino in Connecticut.
"He was one of a kind and we will always remember him," said Bruce "Two Dogs" Bozsum, chairman of the Mohegan tribe.
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