Kenny Smith's family has always been a big part of his life, even during the Madness that is March.
Kenny Smith has been around basketball for as long as he can remember.
The former UNC and NBA star racked up the accolades and the victories throughout his career on the hardwood, but now the Queens native is in the prime of his next move – on TV. Smith has become a staple of “Inside the NBA” and, this March, will once again serve as an analyst during March Madness.
Of course, there’ll be plenty of people watching every game and every game breakdown, including Smith’s family. Here’s everything you need to know about the basketball star’s home team:
1. Smith Is Married to Former ‘The Price Is Right’ Model Gwendolyn Osborne
Smith and Osborne first met in 2004 at a charity event and tied the knot on September 8, 2006. Osborne was a former “The Price is Right” model who first started working on the program in 2005.
The Bath, UK native also played Jade Dominguez for two seasons on the television show “Ocean Ave” and appeared on the TV shows “Charmed” and “Huff.” She also notched credits in the films “Jack and Jill,” “Snow Dogs” and “Any Given Sunday.” Osborne continued to work on “The Price is Right” while she was pregnant and detailed the experience, telling Fox News she was nervous of the response she’d receive:
…Being a woman in this industry, especially as a model where you’re recognized for your body and face — it was really scary. I thought I was going to have to pick between my personal life and my career. I said to [Drew Cary], “I have to let you know right now before we move forward because if you don’t want me here we have to talk about it because I am pregnant. I hope you will be supportive of that.
Osborne left “The Price is Right” in October 2017 and currently serves as the COO of Smith Entertainment Group a production company she and Smith run together. The pair teamed up with ITV America in 2017 and, according to Deadline, work to find and create “lifestyle, reality, lifestyle, docuseries, competition shows for broadcast, cable and streaming platforms.”
The family also appeared together on the 2015 TBS reality series “The Smiths.”
2. He Was Previously Married to Dawn Reavis
Reavis and Smith never made the reasons for their divorce public, but the pair are both doing well in their respective careers since going their separate ways. Reavis currently works as a realtor for Coldwell Banker, and per her Twitter bio, serves Orange, Los Angeles and Ventura Counties.
The Atlanta, Georgia native graduated from the University of North Carolina with a degree in journalism and, according to her Facebook profile, studied advanced professional screenwriting in 2010 at UCLA.
3. Smith’s Son, K.J., Transferred to the University of North Carolina in 2017
He always wanted to be a Tar Heel.
K.J. Smith announced in 2017 that he’d been admitted to UNC – his father’s alma mater – and was planning on joining the basketball team. He previously played for Pacific and, per NCAA rules, was forced to sit out the 2017-18 season. Still, K.J. was more than ready to follow in his father’s footsteps.
“I always was a UNC fan growing up,” he said. “It was always in the back of my mind that UNC was the final destination where I wanted to end up. It was always a dream to say ‘I’m a Tar Heel.'”
In his one season with Pacific, K.J. averaged 3.2 points and shot 21.6 percent from behind the arc.
4. His Daughter, Kayla Brianna, Is an R&B Singer
Talent seems to run in the Smith family.
Kayla Brianna, Smith’s daughter from his first marriage, is an aspiring R&B singer who has already developed quite a serious fandom. She boasts over 32.1 thousand followers on Instagram and her videos have racked up the hits on YouTube.
🎼We on a world tour with… #kaylabrianna #kmichelle #SEG
She also got a bit of help from her dad when her career was first starting to take off. Kayla’s single “If You Love Me” aired during the “Kenny’s Picture’s” segment of “Inside the NBA” in 2012 and, suddenly, the song was broadcast in front of 5.3 million viewers. Kayla described the moment, telling Vibe:
It’s been unreal. My goal is to do a little bit of everything, R&B, uptempo, hip hop. I’m not afraid of the hard work… my aim is to be the best I can possibly be. Aaliyah, Brandy, and Monica, those are some of the artists my style is most like and some of the performers I would be proud to have a career similar to. I’m ready to work.
Kayla, who also attended UCLA, has always had her father’s full support. “I’m blessed that I’m able to provide the vehicle for my daughter to follow her dreams,” Smith said in an interview with Vibe. “What makes me feel even better about it is at some point the talent just has to kick in and take over… and she has that.”
5. Smith Was Close to His Parents, Especially His Mother
Our thoughts will continue to be with Kenny and the Smith family.
A native of Queens, Smith was a force to be reckoned with on the hardwood, competing for Archbishop Molloy where he was named a McDonald’s All-American in 1983. And through it all, he had two of the strongest supporters in the city on his side – his parents.
Smith was close to his parents while he was growing up and developed an especially strong bond with his mother, Annie Mae. When his mother passed away in 2017, Smith took a leave of absence from his work on Inside the NBA, but left a statement that Ernie Johnson read on air. You might want to grab some tissues:
Ernie Johnson reads Kenny Smith;s letter about his mother who passed away today
The loss also affected Smith’s studio partners with both Johnson and Charles Barkley expressing their condolences on and off air. “I know Kenny was especially close to his mom and dad,” Barkley said. “He had great parents. Now she can rest in peace.”
Comments
Kenny Smith’s Family: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know