Shaka Smart has finally decided to leave VCU, and Texas is the school that was able to pry him away from Richmond.
Texas AD Steve Patterson met with Smart in Richmond on Thursday and the two sides agreed to a deal that will make the 37-year-old the new coach of the Longhorns. Smart has been the head coach of the Rams since 2009 and has won at least 26 games in every season he has coached them. He made his mark on the college basketball world after leading the Rams to the Final Four in 2011, just his second year on the job.
After leading VCU to the Final Four, Smart skyrocketed to the top of wishlists for athletic directors looking for new coaches. Over the past handful of years, he turned down job offers from UCLA, USC, Maryland, NC State, Marquette, Illinois and Wake Forest. Most of those programs have excellent basketball traditions, and he turned them all down. This time around, it was different for Smart.
Not only was there an appeal for Smart to coach at a power-5 conference school with unlimited resources, but the timing may have felt right for him considering that he has seemingly plateaued at VCU. Additionally, Texas is a football school first, unlike some of those other schools, where the pressure to win would have been even stronger.
Smart, who was the second-youngest active coach to win 100 games, will bring his endearing personality and “havoc” defense to Austin. His arrival will be celebrated in the state, as fans grew tired of the lack of success under Rick Barnes the past several seasons.
