As tensions rise between the United States and Venezuela, former NBA player Donta Smith’s name has unexpectedly resurfaced online. Smith, who played in the NBA from 2004 to 2006 before building a successful overseas career, holds both American and Venezuelan citizenship — a background that places him in a unique position amid the ongoing situation.

In recent days, fans have speculated about how people with ties to both countries — especially athletes and public figures — might be feeling.

But despite the chatter, Smith hasn’t made any direct public comment on the matter himself. He shared someone else’s post on his Story talking about the ongoing crisis.

The post currently circulating on social media actually came from Jeremiah Wilson, a Chicago-based basketball coach and Smith’s former teammate with Trotamundos de Carabobo, a professional team based in Valencia, Venezuela.

Wilson shared a lighthearted throwback clip from their playing days, tagging several teammates, including Smith, with the caption: “I look at the world through a different lens, I don’t just go hoop in these countries, I go ask questions about how they living from the penthouse to the ghetto to have a better understanding. Don’t believe everything you hear in the media. Praying for the positive leadership and peace in Venezuela! 📈🇻🇪” Jeremiah Wilson wrote on that video with Smith.

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The video showed the pair at a street vendor in Maracaibo, ordering slushies — or “icy” drinks — when a minor mix-up led to some good-natured teasing. Smith later reposted the clip, reacting to the memory in that, adding his own caption: “I wasn’t playing about that icy. 😂💀”

Whether Smith ever got the right slushie may remain a mystery, but one thing is clear — his latest viral moment has nothing to do with global politics.

Donta Smith is back in the US

Donta Smith was born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky. After playing junior college basketball in Illinois, he received a Division I offer from the University of Louisville. Instead, he chose to enter the 2004 NBA Draft, where the Atlanta Hawks selected him in the second round.

Smith played two seasons with the Hawks and spent time in the NBA Development League before continuing his career overseas. Remarkably, he remains an active professional player at the age of 41.

He’s back with Trotamundos and was MVP in 2025. During his overseas career, he also represented Venezuela on the national team at the FIBA level.

He’s currently back in Kentucky and is now reportedly in the coaching circuit. His social media activity at least shows he’s safe. It was his former teammate, though, who showed some love to the Venezuelan people at this time.

So far, Donta Smith, a Venezuelan-American national, has remained silent about the international conflict.