Fundraiser Being Held for Former Raritan Athlete Jordan Smith, Who Was Shot 5 Times Playing Basketball
An online fundraiser is being held for former Raritan basketball and football player Jordan Smith, who is recovering from a shooting that occurred on Sept. 27 while he was playing in a basketball tournament in Georgia.
Smith was one of three people who were shot after what police said was an argument during a basketball tournament in Forest Park.
An online fundraiser to help Smith’s recovery said Smith was playing in an adult basketball league game at Paradise Church of God in Christ when an opposing player shot Smith and two of his teammates after an argument escalated.
Smith was shot five times and suffered serious injuries to his abdomen, groin, right leg and arm, according to fundraiser organizer Brian Klatsky, the former head of the Team Rio AAU program and father of former Ranney basketball players Alex and Brandon Klatsky. The younger Klatskys are now at the University of Georgia, and the family is close with the Smiths.
Smith underwent surgery to remove half his stomach, the head of his pancreas and his spleen, as well as bowel reconstruction surgery, according to Klatsky. He now faces a long recovery, and the fundraiser is to help cover medical bills and his rehabilitation.
“For those who know Jordan, his passion for sports and his vibrant spirit make this tragedy even more heartbreaking,” Klatsky wrote.
Smith was an All-Division wide receiver for Raritan in 2015 and also played basketball for the Rockets. He is the older brother of former Ranney McDonald’s All-American basketball star Scottie Lewis. Lewis played at Florida and was selected in the second round of the NBA draft by the Charlotte Hornets in 2021.
Lewis, 25, shared photos on Instagram of Smith in his hospital bed along with information about the fundraiser. He called Smith “a hero,” “a warrior” and his “best friend” in the caption and shared photos of the brothers together as children.
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Smith’s younger brothers, Jalen and Tyzaya, also played football and basketball at Raritan. The family relocated to the Atlanta area in 2023.
Jordan Smith recently started a career as a biomedical technician for a home dialysis company, according to Klatsky. He and his girlfriend had recently moved into a new home.
Scott Stump is the football editor and a reporter for Shore Sports Insider. He first started covering Shore Conference football in 1999 and has covered basketball, baseball and seemingly every other Shore Conference sport at some point.
Email: scottstump25@gmail.com
