Rhonda Smith-Banchero (She/Her)
by Ryan Chiang (He/Him)
Rhonda Smith first started as a high school basketball player at Franklin High School in Seattle, Washington, growing to be 6’2” and playing the center position. In 1991, she would finish her high school career with the state record for most rebounds in a single state tournament game. She would also be named Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of Washington.
Her life suddenly took a different turn when her close friend Travis Spring passed away due to a malignant lymphoma. Smith quit basketball, started drinking, and lived away from her mother. The grief had hit her hard, and when it came time for her first year at the University of Washington in 1991, she was noticeably out of shape and still distraught by Spring’s passing. It wouldn’t be until midway through her first season when she would overcome this grief, visiting the gravesite to let out her emotions. This moment turned her life around, and slowly but surely, Smith would become the person and player she once was. She would lose weight and at one point dropped back down to 13% body fat, which is impressive for a center. By 1995 her collegiate career ended, and she would be the school’s all-time scorer (2,948) and third-leading all-time rebounder (803).
In 1996, she would go on to play for the Seattle Reign in the American Basketball League (ABL), the predecessor to the now-prominent Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). She also became the first Washington player to be drafted into the WNBA in 2000, playing for the Sacramento Monarchs in their first season as part of the newly established league. Smith had an international stint before retiring, but her love of the game never faded.
As of 2025, Smith goes by Smith-Banchero and coaches the basketball team at Holy Names Academy, an all-girls high school in Seattle. She is the mother of Paolo Banchero, a current National Basketball Association (NBA) player for the Orlando Magic. Banchero credits his mother for teaching him the sport, as well as being his motivation and inspiration. Her fundamental playstyle and calm mindset were big parts of her game, and they translated to his as well. She also has two other children who play collegiate sports.
Due to family wealth as a result of Paolo’s success, she still finds purpose in work and tries to keep busy while helping others. Smith-Banchero remains involved in her community as the current director for equity and inclusion at Downtown Emergency Service Center, where she works to provide housing and shelter to those in need. While most of her legacy revolves around basketball, her influence in the Seattle community and her place in its history should never fade away.
