Hedake Smith Net Worth
Stevin “Hedake” Smith Net Worth
Stevin “Hedake” Smith’s career was cut short by a scandal. The former basketball player was convicted of gambling, fraud and conspiracy. He was sentenced to one year in prison.
During his college career, the former point guard was involved in a point-shaving scandal. He was paid a large amount of money for winning games within a smaller margin.
In his career, he played for three teams in France. Before he retired, he was also a member of the Israeli League and Dynamo Moscow in Russia. But before that, he was a top scorer for Arizona State University. During his time there, he was a two-time All-Pac-10 selection. Afterward, he plied his trade in several leagues in other countries.
It was his father’s wish that his son would succeed in his professional basketball career. So, he took the first step to make it happen. He hired a bookie. This way, the bettors would generate income when the underdog won.
Sadly, he lost his fortune. However, he had the opportunity to win back some of his money. A couple of times, he won $20,000.
Despite the scandal, he was still a promising basketball player. Until his arrest in 1997. As a matter of fact, he had the opportunity to play for an NBA team, but the allegations of fraud and scandal tainted his chances. After his release from prison, he returned to Europe. Since then, he has spoken about the dangers of gambling.
Stevin “Hedake” Smith’s net worth is estimated to be around $10 million. However, he hasn’t disclosed his true earnings on social media. Moreover, the former basketball player has been very private about his personal life. Nonetheless, he is known for his success on Instagram.
Another thing to note is that he didn’t become a celebrity just because of the point-shaving scandal. He was a great high school basketball player. His mother, Eunice Smith, raised him in a small three-bedroom apartment on Ella Street in South Dallas. She never married another man.
If you haven’t heard of the Netflix documentary Bad Sports, you should. This docu-series is about fraud and a sports scandal. Among the story’s characters are former Arizona State University star Steven Smith, and his friend and fellow basketball player Isaac Burton.
Both men are accused of rigging games in 1994. The FBI also suspected them of using cash to buy diamonds, cars and clothes. They were arrested and eventually entered guilty pleas to the conspiracy in December of 1997.
According to reports, the FBI was able to trace Joseph Gagliano, the bookie, through his transactions at a sports betting desk. This was because both Burton and Hedake were using their cash to buy assets.
At age 22, Smith was a college basketball player with a promising future. However, he made a bad decision. And with that, he was arrested and imprisoned.
Although the point-shaving scandal was a huge drawback for Stevin “Hedake” Smith, it did help him earn a large sum of money. It also helped him to gain attention from the sports community.