Smith signs with pro team in Russia

DaQuan Smith’s second season of professional basketball will take him from Europe to Russia.

The all-time leading scorer at Holly Springs High School just finished up his first year with Valmiera Glass Via, which is part of the Latvian-Estonia Basketball League. In the final week of June, he signed with Dinamo Vladivostok, a team playing in Russian Superleague 1.

Smith said his original contact with Valmiera Glass Via gave him a player option for the second year, and his agent worked out a new and better deal for him in Russia.

“I’m excited about it,” he said. “I was in more of a rural setting before and now I will be in a much bigger city (Vladivostok). It’s a tourist spot by the water. I will get to be around a lot of new people and experience a different culture, and I will be making more money than I was last year.”

In the offseason, Smith has been back in his hometown working on getting stronger.

“That is one of my main focuses going into year two,” he said. “I struggled at the beginning of last season because it’s a much more physical style of basketball. I had to adjust the way I played.”

Smith adapted just fine. He averaged double-digit scoring, shot 40 percent from the three-point line and 90 percent from the free-throw stripe in his initial season of pro ball. He had a big 30-point game with 10 assists. Plus, the Valmiera Glass Via team did quite well, too. After winning just six games in 2023-2024, the European squad finished in the top five in its league in 2024-2025 with a 17-11 record.

Playing overseas has been an adjustment for Smith in other ways, too. He has learned to deal with differences like the time zone and the food.

“It was a culture shock, for sure,” he said. “When I was going to sleep, my family would be getting up to start their day.”

He is the son of Justin and Tiffiny Martin of Holly Springs.

Smith’s family did not get to visit him at all last season. He left in August 2024 and did not return until May 26 of this year.

“I was there (in Valmiera, Latvia) for 10 months,” he said. “It was really tough for me during the holidays. But at the same time, I was doing something I love. I know my purpose. Basketball had me occupied, and it kept me motivated. Hopefully, my family will be able to come see me this year (in Vladivostok, Russia).”

Smith is a 2018 graduate of Holly Springs High School where he left behind a basketball legacy with 2,788 career points. He played for head coach Sylvester Kilgore Jr. The Hawks traveled to Jackson for the state tournament in all four of Smith’s high school years, finishing as Class 3A runnersup in 2018. He scored 30 or more points nine times as a senior, including 47- and 50point games. He was a fourtime all-state player. Smith then made his mark on the court at two different colleges, first at Murray State University and later transferring to Radford University. He had a medical redshirt year at Murray State and then took advantage of an extra Covid year at Radford.

“I love the community of Holly Springs,” Smith said. “This is a small town that has always showed their love and support. My family has pushed me a lot and encouraged me to keep going with basketball. And Coach Kilgore, from day one, always held me accountable and allowed me to be me on the court.”

Smith has always looked up to two other Holly Springs High School basketball legends who went on to play professionally in foreign countries, Kenny Dawkins and Clevin Hannah.

“Both are big role models,” he said. “I saw these guys go overseas and be successful. It helped me to have a goal and get to where I want to be. I saw them sign with Division I schools, too, out of high school, and I knew it was possible for me. They have influenced me a lot.”

He regularly reaches out to Hannah.

“We talk a lot, FaceTime, and I seek his advice – about basketball and about life,” Smith said. “We keep in touch. It’s good to have someone in your corner coming from the same place.”

His goals are to keep getting better as a professional basketball player and be a part of a championship team.

“It helps me to have a goal to get to where I want to be,” said Smith, 25. “I want to keep working and try to get to a higher league. It doesn’t matter where I play. I feel I can play anywhere. God-willing, I hope to continue playing basketball for many years to come.”