Dorian Finney-Smith Celebrates “Important” Milestone With His Father, Thanks to Mark Cuban and the Mavericks

It has been nearly 4 months since Dorian Finney-Smith reunited with his father after a 29-year separation. Dorian’s father, Elbert Smith Jr., was released on parole in December after spending nearly 3 decades in prison for a wrongful murder conviction. Notably, Mark Cuban and the Mavs played a huge role in facilitating Elbert’s release. Dorian called it the “best Christmas gift” of his life. Months after the emotional reunion, the Brooklyn Nets Forward now celebrated another crucial milestone with his father.

As the Brooklyn Nets faced the Detroit Pistons at home tonight, Elbert Smith Jr. was in attendance to watch his son Dorian play. That is a huge milestone, as this was the first time Elbert watched his son play in person! Dorian Finney-Smith also addressed the importance of the moment ahead of the game, saying, “I try not to make it more than what it is, but it’s definitely important. I’m human, so I can’t say I ain’t gonna think about it.”

Smith tried to have a professional approach but recognized the importance of his father’s presence in the arena. “But it’s gonna be fun. My momma talks a lot of trash… So, I ain’t gotta worry about him. She’s gonna do all the talking.” Dorian hilariously revealed his father believes the Nets Forward got his basketball skills from his mother and the toughness from him. Unlike his 6’7 son, Elbert is not too big and athletic.

But Dorian Finney-Smith didn’t have a great night while his father watched him for the 1st time. The Forward played 24 minutes but could only score 2 points, 7 rebounds, and 1 assist. Despite Smith’s underwhelming performance, the Nets defeated the Pistons 113-103. So, the father-son duo will be happy about the win on this important day. However, there’s much more to this reunion, a gesture that transcended the boundaries of the NBA court.

Mark Cuban and Co.’s role in Dorian Finney-Smith’s reunion with his father

Before moving to Brooklyn, Dorian Finney-Smith played the first 7 years of his career with the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavs traded him to the Nets last year in a deal to acquire Kyrie Irving. Despite Dorian not being a part of the Mavs roster, Mark Cuban did everything in his power to help his father get released from prison. Elbert Smith went to prison in 1996 on wrongful second-degree murder charges and was serving a 44-year sentence.

Cuban helped Smith hire one of the best lawyers in the country to fight his father’s case. Mark Cuban, along with Mavs GM, Nico Harrison, also vouched for Dorian Finney-Smith’s character in court. After his father’s release, Dorian Finney-Smith thanked the Mavs organization for their support. He said “Thank you to the Mavs family for this. This is past basketball. You can’t even try to put into words what they did in this situation.”

In the end, Mark Cuban and Co.’s rigorous effort convinced the Virginia Parole Board to consider the case and eventually grant parole to Elbert Smith Jr. Hopefully, the father-son duo will continue to share new milestones in their personal and professional life. From tragedy to joyful fortune, a tale of a lifetime!

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