Eddie Johnson & Mark Smith - The Road Divided
Eddie Johnson - Chicago Westinghouse.
Mark Smith - Peoria Richwoods.
Time at Illinois under Lou Henson: 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981.
Eddie Johnson: NBA star, respected and admired in retirement as a television broadcaster for the Phoenix Suns and a solid community leader.
Mark Smith: dead at the age of 41.
Johnson on Smith:
"He was one of the most talented and versatile players Illinois has ever had.
"When he and I were battling it out for the all-time leading scorer title at that time, he wanted me to win. He didn't care about those things.
"I learned so much from him at Illinois. We were roommates for three years and he taught me a lot about everything.
"But, Mark was into partying - he loved to have a good time."
Eddie Johnson will be honored at the Assembly Hall Sunday afternoon along with Don Freeman - two of the most talented, classiest gentlemen ever produced by the basketball program at the University of Illinois.
Their jersies will be up there with Illinois' best in history.
It will be so good to see Eddie and Don again.
But, I know when I see Eddie, I'll be thinking of Mark, too.
It's impossible not to.
I was a freshman at Richwoods High, the school Mark Smith played for in Peoria, Illinois before he went on to play for the Illini, he got drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks, Smith did not play in the NBA but headed for foreign courts where he played for Belgium; Uruguay; Naples, Italy; Barcelona, Spain; and Rimini, Italy. His Barcelona team won the European championships. He also played one season with Puerto Rico in the Continental Basketball Association and played in a summer league with a team sponsored by the Indiana Pacers.
So, perhaps not as accomplished as his counterpart, Eddie Johnson, Mark did do his thing in the sport he loved. So it is unfair to lis,t or cite, Eddie Johnson’s accomplishments then simply state Mark Smith dead at 41. He actually passed when he was forty-two.
Anyway, as a freshmen I would see Mark making his rounds in the hallways at Richwoods as he would tower over one of his many girlfriends, Robin Ward. The last time I saw Mark was in 1979, the year Magic Johnson’s Spartan had won the championship and he was back in Peoria over Spring break and I was playing ball on a court at a local housing project known as the Warner Homes where Mark was raised close by. We called him over where we were getting ready to play a game and I asked him about the night, earlier in the magical season of Bird and Johnson, when he held Magic Johnson to 7 points and took the number one spot from Michigan State. He gave that thousand mile gaze into nowhere and said, ‘that was a helluva night’! REST IN PEACE M.S.
I had the privilege to play with Mark Smith, Derek Holcomb, and Kevin Westervelt (all former Illini and Richwoods High School players). Really poor taste to place Eddie Johnson's remark about Mark having a good time and then stating that he is dead. Mark was a force on the basketball court and and a unselfish leader. He did what ever the team needed to get the victory. He didnt care about who scored as long as we won. He came into RHS at 5'9" and left at nearly 6'9". Mark could play any position on the court during his college or pro days. He should be remembered for what he accomplished while at the U of I and not for anything after since this forum is dedicated to Illini topics. He now has a daughter that is all state playing for Richwoods and I am sure she misses her father the way the rest of us who loved him do. His memory should not be tarnished for what happened after his Illini days but remembered for those great memories he left us with. Mark was one the true Illini greats and should be honored that way.
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