If you search for Will Smith in sports, you may be surprised by how many different athletes share the name. There is no single official database that counts every athlete in the world named Will Smith, so an exact worldwide total is not publicly available.
However, there are several notable professional and former professional athletes named Will Smith across different sports. Major examples can be found in baseball, American football, soccer, ice hockey, cricket, and rugby league. A search of major sports records and player databases identifies at least nine notable athletes named Will Smith, although the actual number of athletes with that name is likely higher when college, amateur, youth, and lower-level professional players are included.
That makes Will Smith one of those names that can create plenty of confusion in sports searches.
Why Are There So Many Will Smiths in Sports?
“Will Smith” is a relatively common English-language name. It can be short for William Smith, and many athletes in English-speaking countries have William as a first name.
Sports databases generally distinguish players using additional information such as:
- Full name
- Date of birth
- Position
- Team
- League
- Nationality
- Sport
This is particularly important with Will Smith because multiple athletes have played at high professional levels at the same time.
For example, Will Smith the Los Angeles Dodgers catcher and Will Smith the MLB pitcher are completely different baseball players. MLB maintains separate player records for both.
The same issue appears in football, where there have been multiple professional players named Will Smith.
The Most Notable Will Smiths in Sports
Here are some of the best-known athletes who have used the name Will Smith professionally.
| Athlete | Sport | Position/Role | Notable connection |
|---|---|---|---|
| Will Smith | Baseball | Catcher | Los Angeles Dodgers |
| Will Smith | Baseball | Pitcher | Former MLB pitcher |
| Will Smith | American football | Defensive end | New Orleans Saints |
| Will Smith | American football | Linebacker | NFL/CFL/XFL |
| Will Smith | Soccer | Defender | English professional football |
| Will Smith | Soccer | Midfielder | Stoke City |
| Will Smith | Ice hockey | Forward | San Jose Sharks |
| Will Smith | Cricket | Batter | Durham and Hampshire |
| Will Smith | Rugby league | Fullback/five-eighth | NRL |
This list demonstrates why simply searching “Will Smith sports” is not enough to identify a particular athlete.
Will Smith the Baseball Catcher
One of the most prominent current athletes named Will Smith is the Los Angeles Dodgers catcher.
His full name is William Dills Smith, and he was born on March 28, 1995, in Louisville, Kentucky. The Dodgers selected him in the first round of the 2016 MLB Draft, and he made his MLB debut in 2019. MLB lists him as a catcher.
He has become one of the better-known athletes with the Will Smith name because of his role with one of Major League Baseball’s most recognizable franchises.
Baseball-Reference lists Smith as a three-time All-Star and records his career with the Dodgers.
His career has also made the name particularly confusing for baseball fans because another MLB player has the exact same commonly used name.
Will Smith the MLB Pitcher
The other prominent Major League Baseball player named Will Smith is William Michael Smith, a left-handed relief pitcher born in 1989.
MLB records show that he was drafted in 2008 and made his major-league debut in 2012. He has played for several MLB organizations, including the Kansas City Royals, Milwaukee Brewers, San Francisco Giants, Atlanta Braves, Houston Astros, Texas Rangers and Royals.
He is particularly notable because he became an All-Star and won three World Series championships during his MLB career.
So there are at least two highly recognizable MLB players named Will Smith.
They play different positions, were born in different years, and have separate MLB records.
Will Smith in American Football
There have also been multiple professional American football players named Will Smith.
One of the most famous was Will Smith, the former New Orleans Saints defensive end.
His full name was William Raymond Smith III. He was born in 1981 and was selected by the Saints in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft. Pro Football Reference records 139 regular-season games, 67.5 sacks, a Pro Bowl selection and a Super Bowl championship during his career.
Another professional football player named Will Smith was William Lamont Smith, a linebacker born in 1992.
He was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the seventh round of the 2014 NFL Draft after playing college football at Texas Tech. He also played professionally in the CFL and XFL.
Therefore, “Will Smith” can refer to more than one NFL or professional football player.
Will Smith in Soccer
The name also appears in professional soccer.
One Will Smith is an English defender born in 1998. He came through Barnsley’s system, later played for Harrogate Town, and joined FC Halifax Town in 2024.
There is also a younger English footballer named William Thomas Smith, born in 2005, who has been associated with Stoke City. He plays as a midfielder and has made professional appearances in cup competition.
These are separate players from the 1998-born defender.
That means even within English soccer, a search for Will Smith can produce more than one professional footballer.
Will Smith in Ice Hockey
Another notable athlete is Will Smith, the American ice hockey player.
Born in 2005 in Lexington, Massachusetts, Smith was selected fourth overall by the San Jose Sharks in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. He played college hockey at Boston College before beginning his professional career.
He represents a newer generation of professional athletes with the name.
His career also shows why the number of Will Smiths in sports can continue to increase. As younger athletes reach professional leagues, the same common names can appear repeatedly across different generations.
Will Smith the Cricketer
Will Smith is not only a name found in American sports.
William Rew Smith, born in 1982 in Luton, England, was a professional English cricketer.
He played primarily as a right-handed batsman and also bowled right-arm off-spin. His professional career included Nottinghamshire, Durham and Hampshire. Cricket records show that he played 183 first-class matches and scored more than 9,500 first-class runs.
Smith also captained Durham during part of his career.
This is another example of why a worldwide count is difficult. A search limited to U.S. professional leagues would miss athletes such as the English cricketer.
Will Smith in Rugby League
Australia has also produced a professional rugby league player named Will Smith.
The Australian Will Smith was born in Newcastle, New South Wales, in 1992. He played as a fullback and five-eighth and spent time with clubs including the Penrith Panthers, Parramatta Eels and Wests Tigers.
The NRL’s official player profile confirms his date of birth and professional rugby league background.
Again, this is a completely different athlete from the baseball, football, hockey and soccer players with the same name.
Does the Actor Will Smith Play Professional Sports?
The most famous person named Will Smith is probably the American actor, rapper and producer.
However, he is not primarily a professional athlete.
The actor Will Smith, born in 1968, is best known for entertainment rather than professional sports. This distinction matters because searches for “Will Smith” can easily produce information about the actor instead of one of the athletes.
Sports databases generally identify the athletes using information such as their sport, position, team and birth year.
For example, adding “Dodgers” to a search identifies the MLB catcher, while adding “Saints” identifies the former NFL defensive end.
Why Is It Difficult to Give an Exact Number?
There are several reasons an exact answer to how many Will Smiths are there in sports is difficult.
There is no worldwide athlete-name census
No single organization maintains a database containing every athlete in every sport, country and competition.
Major leagues maintain their own player databases, but those databases do not cover every amateur or professional competition around the world.
Athletes compete at different levels
There are professional athletes, college athletes, high school athletes, amateur competitors and youth players.
A database search might identify only professionals while missing thousands of athletes competing at lower levels.
Names can be recorded differently
One athlete might be listed as Will Smith, while another database could use William Smith or a full middle name.
This creates additional complications when attempting to count everyone with the same name.
Players can compete in different countries
The name Will Smith occurs in multiple English-speaking countries, including the United States, England and Australia.
A database covering only American professional sports would therefore provide an incomplete answer.
How Can You Tell Which Will Smith Someone Means?
The easiest way is to add the athlete’s sport, team, position or birth year.
For example:
- Will Smith + Dodgers = MLB catcher
- Will Smith + MLB pitcher = baseball pitcher
- Will Smith + Saints = former NFL defensive end
- Will Smith + Sharks = NHL forward
- Will Smith + Durham = English cricketer
- Will Smith + Parramatta = rugby league player
- Will Smith + Harrogate = English soccer defender
- Will Smith + Stoke City = English midfielder
This is how sports databases avoid confusing athletes who share the same name.
Are There More Will Smiths Than These?
Almost certainly.
The examples above are notable professional athletes who can be identified in established sports records. They are not a complete worldwide list of every person named Will Smith who has competed in sports.
For example, there can be college athletes, minor-league players, academy players, semi-professional competitors and athletes in sports with less extensive international databases.
A general name-disambiguation listing itself identifies multiple Will Smiths in baseball, cricket, American football, soccer, ice hockey and rugby league.
Therefore, it would be misleading to claim that exactly nine Will Smiths exist in sports.
A better conclusion is that at least nine notable professional or former professional athletes named Will Smith can be identified across major sports records, but the true worldwide number is not publicly available.
Which Will Smith Is the Most Famous Athlete?
There is no objective ranking for the most famous athlete named Will Smith.
However, several have strong claims based on the level at which they competed.
The Dodgers catcher is currently one of the most recognizable because he plays for a major MLB franchise and has earned multiple All-Star selections.
The former Saints defensive end is also highly recognizable among NFL fans because of his long career, Pro Bowl selection and Super Bowl championship.
The former MLB pitcher is another especially accomplished Will Smith, with an All-Star selection and three World Series championships.
The answer can therefore depend on which sport and generation a fan follows.
FAQ
How many Will Smiths are there in sports?
There is no official worldwide count. At least nine notable professional or former professional athletes named Will Smith can be identified across baseball, American football, soccer, ice hockey, cricket and rugby league, but the complete number is not publicly available.
Are there two Will Smiths in MLB?
Yes. One is Will Smith, the Dodgers catcher, and another is Will Smith, the left-handed pitcher who has played for several MLB teams. MLB maintains separate records for both players.
Is Will Smith the actor a professional athlete?
No. The famous Will Smith from entertainment is an actor, rapper and producer rather than a professional sports player.
Is there a Will Smith in the NFL?
Yes. Multiple professional football players have used the name Will Smith. One notable example is former New Orleans Saints defensive end William Raymond Smith III.
Is there a Will Smith in the NHL?
Yes. Will Smith, born in 2005, is an American ice hockey forward who was selected fourth overall by the San Jose Sharks in the 2023 NHL Draft.
Is there a Will Smith in soccer?
Yes. Multiple English footballers have used the name Will Smith, including a defender born in 1998 and a midfielder born in 2005.
Is there a Will Smith who played cricket?
Yes. William Rew Smith was an English first-class cricketer who represented teams including Nottinghamshire, Durham and Hampshire.
Conclusion
So, how many Will Smiths are there in sports? There is no exact worldwide total, but at least nine notable professional or former professional athletes named Will Smith can be identified across major sports.
They include two prominent MLB players, former NFL players, English soccer players, an NHL forward, an English cricketer and an Australian rugby league player.
The important point is that these athletes are different people who simply share the same name. Their teams, sports, positions, birth dates and careers distinguish them from one another.
Because sports databases do not cover every athlete worldwide, especially at amateur and youth levels, it would be inaccurate to claim that nine is the definitive total. The safest answer is that there are several notable Will Smiths in professional sports, and the true worldwide number is not publicly available.