Jim Gazzolo column: Repaying on an old debt

Published 2:18 pm Thursday, February 12, 2026

Stevin “Hedake” Smith knows of what he speaks.

This week, Smith told his cautionary tale to McNeese State athletes about gambling and how quickly a friendly bet over video games can ruin one’s life and dreams.

His story is a personal one.

A college basketball star at Arizona State with a promising future, Smith set school records and earned all-American honors while playing for the Sun Devils between 1991-94. But during his final days at ASU, he got caught up in a point-shaving scandal, much like the one that rocked the sport this season.

In January, three Southland Conference teams had players charged with allegedly shaving points in games, including two against McNeese in recent seasons, in a national case that affected many programs.

“We wanted to bring Stevin in to be as proactive on the topic and educate our athletes as best we can on the subject,” said McNeese Athletic Director Heath Schroyer.

Smith was scheduled before any of the current gambling scandal news broke, Schroyer said.

Smith eventually confessed to fixing four games while at Arizona State and was sentenced to one year and one day in prison on conspiracy charges. He had played a brief time for the Dallas Mavericks, but his real shot ended earlier when he had to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers training camp to play in Europe to pay off gambling debts.

“There are consequences in life for everything you do,” Smith said. “I didn’t understand that because I was an all-American point guard. I thought I could get away with anything.’

Those beliefs are a lifetime ago for Smith, who said he wants to use his words to help a new generation of college athletes avoid the same mistakes he made.

“If I can help somebody else, then it will be worth it,” Smith said. “I wish that I had somebody come tell me a story like mine so I could have known better. I want to give these guys a chance to learn from what I did wrong.”

Smith tours college campuses while working for EPIC Global Solutions in conjunction with the NCAA. He speaks of the dangers that go with gambling and how fast players can lose control of their futures.

“You don’t even realize at first what is happening, and then you are in too deep and can’t get out,” Smith said. “I don’t want any pity because I was an all-American basketball player. You do wrong, and you have to pay the consequences.”

That is one of the big points Smith tries to get through to his audiences. This is no longer about him, and nobody will feel sorry for you. He wants to warn them what can happen if they don’t think ahead.

“You have to hold yourself accountable right now,” Smith said. “You have to ask yourself if it is worth it and can you face the consequences. If you can get caught up in this, you have to think about what all you can lose.”

Smith said his troubles led him down a dark path of depression, but talking to today’s athletes has helped him deal with his past.

“Before she passed away in 2023, my mother told me to make a difference,” Smith said. “She was always by my side, and I realized that maybe I could help somebody before they went down the wrong path because I don’t think gambling is going anywhere.”

With more interest in sports and the easy way to place a bet, Smith’s story is more likely to be repeated by others over the years.

So it’s good for players to be warned before it’s too late.

Jim Gazzolo is a freelance writer who covers McNeese State athletics for the American Press. Email him at jimgazzolo@yahoo.com