Now, Smith is a medical sales representative and is the president of CryoZone, which offers whole body cryotherapy; this process reduces pain and inflammation, he said, which helps with athletic recovery and performance and is beneficial for pain management for non-athletes.
But Smith’s journey started at University Park. He grew up in Chicago and didn’t know much about Penn State before he visited, but said he was impressed with what the University offered and with the newly built Bryce Jordan Center. The opportunity to play in the Big Ten Conference also was a draw.
Smith was a starting forward on the 2000-01 Nittany Lion squad that made that memorable Sweet 16 appearance in the NCAA Tournament, knocking off second-seeded North Carolina in the second round. Smith told the crowd that early in that contest, starting guard Joe Crispin (who played on the 2000-01 team and graduated in 2007) came into the huddle and told his teammates how the Tar Heels didn’t want to play against the Nittany Lions’ style, predicting the upset. Smith recalled the starting players for North Carolina with ease, giving tidbits on each individual opponent, saying Penn State’s win “messed up a lot of brackets.”
And when Smith mentioned that fans were waiting for the Nittany Lions at the University Park Airport upon their arrival, he bantered with Chris Buchignani, Class of 2002, who attended the presentation with his wife, Terri, Class of 2005. Buchignani was one of the fans who made signs and waited at the airport, and when Smith asked him how he knew to go to the airport in an age before social media, Buchignani said, “Back then, you just kind of figured it out, right? We thought, ‘We have to go out to the U-Park Airport,’” adding that Smith and his roommate, Stephan Bekale, Class of 2002, lived on the same floor in Pollock Halls as one of his friends.Given this connection and figuring nobody else would make a sign for Bekale, Buchignani explained that was the motivation behind his sign.“That’s awesome,” Smith told him, epitomizing the connection that he made with the attendees.
“It was a great program; I really enjoyed hearing about Tyler's life adventures as a globetrotting pro basketball player,” Buchignani said. “He's a very good storyteller, and he definitely brought those talents to bear in bringing his recollections to life.
“I was also struck that after traveling the world and experiencing all those different countries and cultures, the lure of the Nittany Valley brought an Illinois native back here to finally settle down.”
Smith, meanwhile, talked like he never really left Penn State, because in some ways he didn’t. Later on during his career, he and his wife, Cara, Class of 2001, lived in State College during the summer (which was his offseason), and he also was once an assistant coach at Penn State Altoona. Now, Tyler and Cara live in State College with their three daughters: Hannah (6 years), Lexi (2 years) and Victoria (3 months). The book will focus mainly on his life after Penn State, but he said he’d highlight how his time as a Nittany Lion launched him into such a successful career in basketball.Like many of his stories, it was an unforgettable experience.
“Penn State played a big part in shaping who I am,” Smith said. “I met my wife here, I really grew a lot in my Christian faith here and I received an opportunity to play overseas after playing at a high level here.”