Former Louisville basketball star Russ Smith — a key player on the Cardinals’ 2013 national championship team later vacated by the NCAA — was arrested early Sunday in Louisville for driving under the influence of alcohol, according to an arrest report obtained by the Courier Journal.
The reports says Smith made a U-turn that crossed several lanes and a pedestrian crosswalk in the Highlands neighborhood of Louisville. Police also noted his vehicle had a license plate with a tag that expired in 2022, according to the report. Smith reportedly had a strong smell of alcohol on his breath and told police he had consumed “two bourbon pours neat,” before driving.
Smith failed a field sobriety test, and his blood alcohol content registered at 0.073 — below Kentucky’s legal limit of 0.08. However, state law allows DUI charges for drivers with a BAC between 0.04 and 0.08 if other credible evidence of impairment is present.
Police also cited Smith for reckless driving due to the U-turn in addition to an expired license plate. He received his release without bond and with arraignment scheduled for Wednesday in Jefferson District Court.
Smith was a standout guard at Louisville from 2010-14, helping lead the Cardinals to back-to-back Final Fours and a national championship in 2013 — a title later vacated by the NCAA. He led Louisville in scoring his final two seasons in college, finishing with more than 1,900 points, averaging 14.3 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 133 games played. Smith earned consensus first-team All-America honors in 2014.
The Philadelphia 76ers selected Smith in the second round of the 2014 NBA Draft with rights traded to the New Orleans Pelicans. He played just six games before being traded to the Memphis Grizzlies as part of a three-team deal in January 2015. Smith appeared in 21 total games in two seasons. Much of his professional career was spent overseas and in the NBA G League.
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