Shaka Smart will be the next head coach at Texas, as reported by multiple outlets. Smart informed his players at VCU of his decision at a team meeting held late Thursday.
Smart has spent the last six seasons as the head coach at VCU, becoming one of the hottest names in coaching. He led the Rams to the 2011 Final Four after beginning the tournament in the First Four, and followed that up with four straight trips to the NCAA tournament. In past years, Smart has turned down job openings at programs like N.C. State, Maryland, UCLA and Marquette.
Smart won at least 26 games in all six seasons that he was in Richmond, and Texas is getting a young who’s just 37 years of age. The question to be asked now is who he’ll have on staff, as the assistants will be key in establishing relationships within the state.
There’s a lot of talent being produced in Texas, especially in cities such as Dallas and Houston. It will be interesting to see how Smart’s system translates into the Big 12, especially if he can reel in some of the high-level recruits coming out of the state on an annual basis.