Who is Stan Smith? The simple answer is a man who is far more proud of his family and philanthropic work than his legendary tennis career and iconic shoe line.
The younger generation knows Smith primarily through his adidas tennis shoes. The retro shoes first debuted in 1963 and have never wavered in popularity thanks to their timeless style (it doesn’t hurt that Smith is effortlessly cool and incredibly warm well into his late 70s).
The shoes sport a leather upper with minimal adidas branding, capped off with Smith’s smiling face on the tongue. Pharrell, Raf Simons, and even the Star Wars franchise have put their spin on the kicks through limited-edition collaborations.
But for fans wanting to know more about the Michael Jordan of tennis, there is a new documentary titled Who Is Stan Smith? Fans can now watch the documentary, executive-produced by LeBron James’ Uninterrupted company, on ESPN+ and Hulu.
The film highlights Smith’s historic life. A close friend of Arthur Ashe, Smith transformed tennis through his social advocacy both on and off the court. He came from humble beginnings to become a Wimbledon and US Open Champion.
Sports Illustrated’s Serve On SI spoke with Smith about the documentary, shoes, and more.
What is your favorite part of this documentary?
There were several parts that I really liked a lot. The part with our family at the end was great. The part of being in Vietnam was an eye-opener for a lot of people. The documentary created a lot of laughs, tears, and shed light on what life was like back then. Watching Arthur Ashe win the Open in ’68 was great to see. It shows that anyone with an education can do anything.
Were there any scenes that did not make the cut that you wish had been included?
There were some scenes with the Boys and Girls Club that my wife and I are quite involved in that didn’t make the cut.
You spoke out on Civil Rights, the Vietnam War, and Apartheid during your playing career. Are there any current players you see standing out for their activism?
I’m interested in Coco [Gauff] at a very young age. She’s expressed interest in activism, as well as Naomi Osaka, that have spoken out and are using their platforms.
In your opinion, what is the best Grand Slam tournament?
I have four children, and they’re all different, and I love them all. The US Open has become the most important for a lot of players, but Wimbledon is unique.
Why do you think each new generation of athletes and fans embraces the adidas Stan Smith?
It’s been exciting to see the interest in the shoe. The various collaborators with adidas have made it special. It’s been fun to see the effect of the collaboration. It’s great to see mothers and daughters wearing the same thing as each other and fathers and sons wearing the same shoes to be cool across generations.
If you were the tennis czar for a day, what changes would you make to the sport?
The sport and the issue that takes place in the sport revolves around the schedule. The schedule is a nightmare, but you need to take some things away from an area so that everyone is happy.
Last question: Who is a tennis player who deserves a documentary or just more publicity for their career?
Chrissie Evert or Martina Navratilova. I haven’t seen a specific documentary on Chrissie; there was a piece on her 50th anniversary of winning the Open, but there’s plenty of publicity around those two.
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