LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The Trojan Department of Athletics welcomed former college basketball standout Stevin "Hedake" Smith on Monday night, where he delivered a powerful message to student-athletes about the dangers of sports gambling and the resilience it took to overcome his struggles.
Smith was the first guest speaker of the Trojans' Life Skills Program, which features speakers throughout the school year to support student-athletes as they navigate the challenges of both competition and life. Topics covered include mental health, nutrition, managing credit, goal setting, career planning, substance abuse, and community engagement.
Once a top-three national recruit and McDonald's All-American, Smith starred at Arizona State from 1991 to 1994, earning two All-Pac-10 selections and an All-American nod as the Sun Devils' point guard. He set multiple school records—some of which still stand today—including most three-point shots attempted and made, and left as the program's all-time leading scorer. Smith was also named Arizona State's Male Student-Athlete of the Year, highlighting his success both on and off the court.
But his promising career took a sudden, devastating turn in 1994, when he and teammate Isaac Burton became involved in one of the most notorious point-shaving scandals in college sports history.
"When he told me you can win the game, I thought…okay, if I win the game, that's what it's about. It's about winning," Smith said, reflecting on how little he initially understood about gambling.
The scandal followed Smith into his professional career. He left the NBA and a promising future behind to play in Europe, hoping to earn enough to pay off debts. After two years overseas, the investigation caught up with him, bringing his basketball career to a sudden halt.
In 1997, Smith admitted to betting on games he was fixing. He and Burton pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges, and Smith was sentenced to one year and one day in prison.
"There's consequences to everything you do in life. I made a mistake and I had to pay for it," Smith said. "I can't expect anyone to have pity for me because I was an All-American basketball player.
You do wrong, and you have to pay the consequences. As I look back, it not only changed my life, but it might be one of the best things that ever happened to me."
Smith also shared how his faith carried him through the darkest moments.
"I was in a very dark place, and my faith was the biggest thing that got me through everything. My faith is very important to me," he said.
Now working with EPIC Global Solutions, Smith travels to college campuses across the country to educate student-athletes about the dangers of gambling. He says his mother played a key role in inspiring his mission.
"My mom told me to make a difference before she died in 2023," Smith said. "I've been passionate about speaking and telling my story, because gambling isn't going anywhere—and with all this NIL money, I just wanted to let athletes know."
With college sports becoming increasingly driven by name, image and likeness opportunities and now revenue sharing, Smith said he believes there should be limits.
"It's a tough area to navigate," he said. "Hopefully there will be some laws that come into place to help with it."
Nearly every Trojan team was represented Monday night, with only volleyball and men's golf absent due to road trips. Student-athletes connected with Smith's message, staying engaged as he shared his story of adversity and perseverance.
Men's basketball freshmen Kellen Robinson and Terrion Burgess said they were inspired by Smith's turnaround.
"I thought it was pretty cool how he turned his life around, and brought us the information so we don't go down that same path," Burgess said.
Robinson added, "I didn't know how deep it was, how real it was. It's very important that we learned from him today, so I appreciate that."
Freshman soccer players Clair Silvestro and Lexi Duarte also said Smith's testimony resonated.
"It was really encouraging because being a student-athlete today brings a lot of pressure. It's really easy to fall into traps, and I feel like this talk helped us focus on what we came to school to do and not fall into outside pressure," Silvestro said.
Duarte added, "I think him reaching rock bottom and having the right people around him to help him back up is inspiring. His story is a beautiful testimony, and I'm super inspired by it, as well as his faith in God to help him through."
Smith closed the night by answering questions and taking photos with each team. One of his final reflections drew cheers from the crowd:
"If I didn't go through what I went through, I wouldn't be able to have the testimony to tell y'all," Smith said. "People don't understand that I don't look like what I've been through."
