Nets' Dorian Finney-Smith gets the gift of family after his father is released from prison
Dorian Finney-Smith of the Nets makes a three-pointer during a game against the Chicago Bulls at Barclays Center on Sun. Nov. 26, 2023. Credit: Errol Anderson
After the Nets’ five-game road trip ended in Utah Monday, Dorian Finney-Smith got back to Brooklyn Tuesday night, well after his team arrived. But he had a valid reason.
Finney-Smith left after the game and arrived in his native Virginia at around 5 a.m Tuesday morning. That afternoon, he and his family were at Greensville Correctional Center for a moment he waited almost his whole life for.
At 2 p.m., Finney-Smith’s father Elbert was released from prison after serving nearly 29 years following a conviction for second-degree murder, malicious wounding and use in commission of a firearm in 1996. The two embraced and 24 hours later, Finney-Smith was still excited describing that hug.
“It was amazing. Just me trying to feel him out,” Finney-Smith said before Wednesday’s loss to the Knicks. “I had to touch his arm and shoulders just to get a feel for him. You know, I didn't touch him. I don't remember ever touching him.
“It was emotional. The hug lasted longer than probably what I thought.”
Finney-Smith, 30, was two years old when his father was sentenced to 44 years in prison on March 29, 1996. According to reports, Elbert Smith and Diefen McGann were initially charged with first-degree murder and using a firearm during a felony after a skirmish led to Willie Anderson II being shot and killed.
Smith was also charged with having a firearm after being convicted of a felony. According to the Dallas Morning News, McGann told police he fired three shots that killed Anderson.
While McGann accepted a plea deal for voluntary manslaughter and was sentenced to five years, Smith was advised to turn down the deal. He was later convicted on lesser charges.
The Dallas Morning News reported in July that the Virginia Parole Board voted 3-0 to grant parole to Smith. They also stated Mavericks governor Mark Cuban and his company’s chief of staff, Jason Lutin, helped assist Finney-Smith’s efforts along with former Virginia Attorney General Jerry Kilgore.
“You give the Mavs organization an extreme amount of credit for the work they did from the beginning when [Dorian] was there,” Nets coach Jacque Vaughn said. “Hopefully [Dorian] felt the support from his Brooklyn family here. We definitely supported him going there and being there. And you talk about the ultimate Christmas gift for those kids to be there as well.”
Currently, Elbert Smith is staying at a home in Virginia that Finney-Smith bought for his mother. He also got to meet his five grandchildren — including Finney-Smith’s three children — for the first time.
At present, there’s no plans for him to watch Finney-Smith in person as he works through the terms of his release. But he’s settling into his new surroundings and that made his son grateful as he thanked Cuban, Lutin and everyone involved.
Just hearing his father’s voice in the background laughing when he called his mother Desiree made him smile.
“He got to watch his first game in the house without having to share the TV with nobody else,” said Finney-Smith, who had 10 points against the Knicks. “It’s just fun. His grandkids all love him, they ask him questions and he’s been with them most of the time.”
The family waited six months after the parole hearing to welcome Elbert Smith home. Now he’s back in time for Christmas and, for Finney-Smith and his family, it’s a gift that’ll keep giving long after Dec. 25.
“It just makes you thankful, man,” Finney-Smith said. “So I'm just happy to be in a situation where I get to play the game I love, which helped me build relationships where I met some people to help me with my situation."
Evan Barnes covers the Nets for Newsday. He previously covered Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.
