Brooklyn Nets forward Dorian Finney-Smith received an early Christmas gift this week, all thanks to his former organization, the Dallas Mavericks.
On Tuesday, Finney-Smith’s father, Elbert Smith Jr., 52, was released from Greensville Correctional Center in Virginia after nearly 30 years behind bars, according to The Dallas Morning News.
The Nets granted 30-year-old Finney-Smith a one-day absence to join his mother, Desiree, and sister, Monnazjea, as they awaited his father’s release from the facility.
Dorian Finney-Smith has been reunited with his father after almost 30 years in prison, per @townbrad. đ
Finney-Smithâs former team, the Mavericks helped secure his fatherâs release and was granted parole in July. pic.twitter.com/yFgKVTiUwn
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) December 20, 2023
“We just hugged,” Finney-Smith said of the emotional reunion, per The Dallas Morning News. “A long, long hug. So many questions and stuff that we have. It was very emotional.”
Finney-Smith said the long-awaited moment was filled with laughter and smiles, as the group was happy to be with the patriarch of the family.
“I had never felt his physique,” Finney-Smith said. “I had to size him up real quick. He’s a big dude. He’s wide. … We smiled and laughed, my sister and my mom hugged him as well. There wasn’t much for me to say. We all just laughed about the fact that it was so unbelievable.”
According to the Morning News, the Virginia Parole Board voted to grant Smith conditional freedom in July. This came after Mavericks governor Mark Cuban, general manager Nico Harrison and other franchise members provided “written testimonials” during a public hearing to request that Smith’s case be reviewed, according to Bleacher Report. They also vouched for Finney-Smith’s character at a hearing.
Cuban, Harrison and Mark Cuban Companies chief of staff Jason Lutin worked to help the basketball star be reunited with his father after Smith spent nearly three decades in prison.
“Thank you to the Mavs family for this. This is past basketball,” Finney-Smith said as he praised the Mavericks organization for helping him. “You can’t even try to put into words what they did in this situation.”
Finney-Smith added, “He’s here for Christmas; that’s what matters. This is the best Christmas gift I’ve ever gotten. Besides the births of my kids, this is up there with the best days I’ve ever had.”
Smith’s case dates back to 1995 when he and Diefen McGann used handguns as they tried to collect a debt from Willie Anderson II, per Bleacher Report. Moments later, a fight ensued, with Anderson trying to retrieve McGann’s gun. According to Smith, he charged at Anderson with a knife, and Anderson dropped McGann’s weapon.
McGann fired three shots and killed Anderson. They both were charged with first-degree murder, but McGann received a lesser sentence. He pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and served five years in prison. Meanwhile, Smith’s lawyer advised him not to take a plea deal, and the case went to trial. He was later convicted of second-degree murder and malicious wounding, which carried a 44-year prison sentence.
