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Published Monday, Aug. 3, 2009 | 2:36 p.m.
Updated Monday, Aug. 3, 2009 | 2:43 p.m.
Former UNLV point guard Robert Smith, who starred alongside Glen Gondrezick from 1974-77, will take the seat next to play-by-play man Jon Sadler this season during Rebels radio broadcasts.
'Gondo' had served as a television and radio analyst for the past 17 seasons. He passed away on April 27 at the age of 53. Gondrezick underwent heart transplant surgery on Sept. 20, 2008.
Smith was the point guard on UNLV's first Final Four squad in 1977, and his career free-throw percentage of 87.8 remains tops in the Rebels record books. He also owns the single-season mark at 92.5 percent, which he shot during the 1976-77 campaign.
Smith played in the NBA for seven years, then played four in the CBA and seven more in France. He then coached for nine years at Bishop Gorman, winning a pair of state titles.
“It is great to be coming back to be a part of the team,” Smith said. “It is very exciting for me as a former student-athlete to be involved with UNLV. I always felt a part of the program, but now I will get to work that much closer with the team and I am thrilled to be a part of the university again. I am looking forward to getting started.”
I was too young to see Smith play...sorry for making ya'll feel so old (I'm 30)...but I have always heard how great he was on the court. I am looking foward to listening to Smith on the radio when I won't have the opportunity to go to the games. I had been wondering who was going to take Gondo's place and I am pulling for Smith to do well. It will be a hard seat to fill, but I am looking foward to hearing him and Sadler.
Robert Smith was a great point guard on a great team. Robert Smith, Tony Smith, Sudden Sam Smith, Glen Gondrezick, Reggie Theus and Eddie Owens are some of the greats that I remember from UNLV's past. I know I have missed one or two of the key players, but that does not take away from any of their contributions. Can someone else finish the list from 30 years ago???
I was a student during the Hardway Eight and the Final Four Team. Larry Moffett, Jackie Robinson (injured f4 year) Earl Evans, Lew Brown -Theus actually was the 6th man off the bench w/Lew Brown subing for Moffett. Went to Tuscon, Provo and Atlanta for the FINAL FOUR....Sucked Marquette won. UNLV had to deal with Dean Smith's Stall. Theus stopped Ford but UNC was called for about 3-4 fouls. Also Gondo and Moffett collided right before 1/2 time. They killed a 1 loss USF team w/Cartwright in the 1st rd.
Great memories! I was there for all of those games also- one small correction- Earl Evans transfered from USC and did not play until the next year- Sorry. Also, Lew was quite a clown. He was in my first class at UNLV and sat on the table next to the teacher, who was teaching her first class. Lew refused to sit in a seat and scared her for 15 minutes. We had sixth row season tickets as students, which were in very short supply. I was offered $100 per game every night outside the convention center.
Very exciting. Looking forward to hearing Robert on the internet broadcasts this year. RIP Gondo