Shaka Smart | The University of Texas

Shaka Smart completed his fifth season as the head basketball coach at The University of Texas in 2019-20. The leader of a Virginia Commonwealth University program that advanced to the 2011 Final Four and posted at least 26 wins in each of his six seasons at the school, Smart became the 24th head basketball coach at Texas on April 3, 2015. In 10 seasons overall as a collegiate head coach, the 42-year-old Smart has compiled a 243-134 record. Seven of his 10 teams have advanced to NCAA Tournament play. Under Smart’s direction, the mission of the Texas Basketball program is clear and simple - to create and sustain championship-level success. Smart and his staff want to develop each student-athlete within the program into the best possible version of himself. The three core values of the Texas Basketball program are Relationships, Growth and Victory. Prior to being named the head coach at Texas, Smart was the Head Coach at VCU where he lead his team to the final four in 2011. On January 19, 2013, Smart became the second youngest active coach to win 100 games, in a 90-63 victory over Duquesne. Smart began his coaching career in 1999 as an assistant at California University of Pennsylvania, where he also earned a master's degree. Afterwards, he was hired as Director of Basketball Operations at the University of Dayton. He was then an assistant at the University of Akron for three years, Clemson for two, and Florida for one.