Marcus Smart is moving on from the franchise that drafted him and employed his services for the last 9 years. In a surprising but not unprecedented move, the Boston Celtics have worked out a three-team trade in which, they receive center Kristaps Porzingis from the Washington Wizards, they send Marcus Smart to the Memphis Grizzlies and the Wizards receive Tyus Jones along with draft capital.
Smart has always been a hard-nosed athlete with an extreme work ethic. He built himself up from the ground to become the NBA’s best defensive guard. According to reports, Smart had a very tough childhood influenced by gang violence and even his stepbrother Todd suffering from Leukemia.
Smart was taken care of by his brothers and his mother Camellia but his childhood tale is one of tragedy and it is heartwarming to see Smart in the position he is today despite the severe trauma he has experienced.
Marcus Smart’s stepbrother suffered from Leukemia
Marcus Smart grew up in Flower Mound, Texas. He had two elder stepbrothers named Todd and Jeff Westbrook as well as one blood brother, Michael Smart. His stepbrothers were significantly older than him at about 22 and 23 years older, but their bond was still the same as brothers.
Marcus looked up to both of them and especially Todd. When his mother Camellia was out working in the night, Todd would take up the role of the protector and keep everything in order at home.
Unfortunately, Todd was diagnosed with untreatable Leukemia. He was diagnosed with the fatal disease when he was about 15 years old and to his credit, he was a fighter.
At first, the cancer disappeared but returned when he was around 25. Todd fought the disease on and off for the next 18 years of his life, enough time for him to mentor Marcus and imbibe him with the values he deemed necessary. Still in his early ages, Marcus was more of a rebel and even a bully at one point in time, picking fights with others for no valid reason and hurting those smaller and younger than him.
The most serious of these incidents came when Marcus was out and about with his gang of friends, they were jumped and confronted by a rival group. Marcus brought out a pocketknife to which an enemy responded with a pellet gun.
Marcus immediately sprinted home to grab his father’s pistol but luck be have it, he was spotted by his elder brother Michael Smart. Michael used to be a gang member. Shunning that lifestyle and not wanting to see his brother throw away his future he was able to successfully prevent Marcus from doing any damage with the gun.