WRAL: NC State interested in VCU’s Smart

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NC State interested in Shaka Smart

NC State has an eye on VCU head coach Shaka Smart.
Multiple sources told WRAL on Saturday that Smart is a coach of interest for NC State. He was recently contacted by either the Parker search firm or by an NC State intermidiary to gauge his interest in coaching the Wolfpack.

NC State director of athletics Debbie Yow would not comment on the search.

The longer VCU wins, the longer it will be before Smart turns his attention to his future. VCU beat Florida State to advance to the Southwest region finals against Kansas. That’s the deepest NCAA run in VCU school history.

Multiple schools have an interest in hiring Smart. The 33-year old coach is in his second year at VCU, his first head coaching position. He has a 53-20 record at VCU finishing fourth and fifth in the Colonial Conference. The Rams received an at-large bid to this year’s NCAA tournament after losing to Old Dominion in the Colonial tournament finals.

Smart’s salary at VCU is a reported $325,000 but school officials are already working on a new contract that would boost his salary significantly.

Prior to VCU, Smart was an assistant for Billy Donovan at Florida. He has also been an assistant at Clemson, Akron and Dayton.

Smart played point guard at Kenyon College in Ohio where he graduated magna cum laude with a degree in history.

One thing that SFN would like to note — NC State could be ‘interested’ in, and gathering information on, A LOT a lot of coaches. Since Debbie Yow has the NC State side buttoned up tighter than a [insert whimsical quip here], we only know of coaches getting ‘interest’ if those coaches (or their representatives) leak information.

Additionally, even if information gets leaked from the coaches’ side doesn’t mean that information is accurate. For example, in NC State’s last coaching search in 2006, LSU’s John Brady tried to use the media to attach himself to the search to maneuver for a raise &/or contract extension. It was bush-league…and, it was fun to see him ultimately get fired. Of course, there are other coaches who pull this type of stuff all of the time.

We are not saying that is what is happening with Smart right now…but, I’m not convinced that just because this information has trickled into the public that Smart has catapulted to the top of any legitimate list of Yow’s.

As evidenced by some of the conversation in this thread, most Wolfpackers appear to be more attracted to Smart’s predecessor at VCU, Anthony Grant (who is now at Alabama). You may remember that Grant had been identified/hired by Florida to replace Billy Donovan a few years ago when Donovan did had his change of heart with the Orlando Magic.

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121 Responses to WRAL: NC State interested in VCU’s Smart

  1. john of sparta 03/26/2011 at 3:58 PM #

    allow me: “show me (SS) the money”.

  2. Wulfpack 03/26/2011 at 4:01 PM #

    So, if this is true, then the supposed “done deal” with Miller is false.

    I cannot argue with us being interested in him. He has certainly raised a lot of eyebrows with his coaching and dealing with the media this tournament. I would just hope there are others that are getting serious consideration as well. I trust Yow’s judgment here.

  3. Lock 03/26/2011 at 4:02 PM #

    Could definitely do worse, but still holding out hope for better.

    Still, if he were hired I wouldn’t be crying myself to sleep.

  4. bigwolfpacker 03/26/2011 at 4:06 PM #

    Shaka is not at the top of my list. Fourth and fifth place in the caa isn’t fantastic.

  5. tcthdi-tgsf-twhwtnc 03/26/2011 at 4:14 PM #

    Most “Wolfpackers” want Yow to complete a thorough search and hires who she feels is best to lead the pack over the next 10 years. Since “Wolfpackers” have no idea what is going on, “Wolfpackers” are stating nothing more than a personal preferences based on nothing other than a their opinion.

    These “Wolfpacker” have no idea if Grant may have already told NC State that State is two years to late. He is already at a BCS and his next move would be to a national powerhouse, not another rebuilding project.

    I will welcome almost any coach. The only person I would be disappointed in is someone that clearly doesn’t have “it”.

    BTW, no one has any idea how this information got to the N&O. As the search continues, more people, no more. That is one thing General Yow can’t control. I think it is more likely that the N&O would have “multiples” sources around NC State more so than around VCU’s program. Just sayin.

  6. BJD95 03/26/2011 at 4:17 PM #

    Just relax and enjoy the NCAAT. Go Butler, Arizona, and Coach Cal’s “Shadow Pack.”

  7. LakistaMcCuller 03/26/2011 at 4:20 PM #

    Smart could be someone Billy D recommended if he was contacted, though Billy has more important matters this week.

    I am almost tempted to root for UNC. Almost.

  8. PoppaJohn 03/26/2011 at 4:20 PM #

    We need more than two year’s experience and one trip to the show. DY won’t go this route.

  9. wolfpackdawg 03/26/2011 at 4:30 PM #

    I completely trust DY until she Focks up. She knows how important this is to the school and to her position.

  10. Baccapacker 03/26/2011 at 4:31 PM #

    Last night was the first whole vcu game I’ve watched and I gotta say I came away impressed. I felt like they were in control most of the game and played well against the bigger, more athletic Noles. They played good D, moved the ball around well for a lot of open shots, and what I thought was most important was they didn’t fold in crunch time. I found myself a little excited thinking about that style of play with our current roster. He is a risk and by no means my 1st choice, but if we ended up with him I don’t think we could complain too much and I’m glad we are at least keeping an eye on him.

  11. tcthdi-tgsf-twhwtnc 03/26/2011 at 4:35 PM #

    I miss the edit feature… “More people, know more” and it is more likely WRAL (as well as the N&O) have more sources at State than VCU. I think the WRAL family makes large donations to NC State and would be far more likely to know what is going on through connections at State than their deep ties to the Richmond area.

  12. Baccapacker 03/26/2011 at 4:36 PM #

    I thought it was a ridiculous idea when he was 1st brought up, but now I’m hoping that in 3-5 years we’re saying “man I’m glad we got that guy” or “man I’m glad we didn’t gamble on him” and not “gee I wish we woulda got him when we had the chance.”

  13. wayofthemaster 03/26/2011 at 4:38 PM #

    Anthony Grant is a more impressive candidate.

  14. blackdom 03/26/2011 at 4:45 PM #

    It appears we have no clue once again.

  15. gtspack 03/26/2011 at 4:48 PM #

    Shaka may be a great coach for us but he will only stay until he can get the head coaching job at Wisconsin.

  16. wallacepark 03/26/2011 at 5:40 PM #

    I like Shake Smart, and I think he would be a great coach for us with a ton of upside.

    I’m sure Anthony Grant is higher up on everyone’s wish list, but I just don’t see him coming here.

    And I’d rather take a chance on Shaka Smart than hire someone like Marshall, Turgeon, or Brey, who’ve never made it past the sweet sixteen in 13-16 years of coaching.

  17. swamppack 03/26/2011 at 5:42 PM #

    No Shaka, please. Just 1 opinion out of thousands, but had to say it.

  18. Dogbreath 03/26/2011 at 6:01 PM #

    If there is anything we’ve learned watching this years tournament, it’s that there are several outstanding young coaches that will be the new generation to supplant K, Williams, Boeheim, Calhoun, Izzo, etc., in the next 3-5 years. Now let’s put up the big bucks and land one.

    Let’s please not find ourselves on the outside looking in.

  19. albunde6 03/26/2011 at 6:03 PM #

    Swamppack is correct, won’t stay. 2 years at VCU. Need someone who has desire to fight agaianst aging Coach K and sphincter at unx. Wow is this all DY has in basket of goodies.

    “This is a fine mess we have gotten ourselves into Ollie”

  20. highstick 03/26/2011 at 6:25 PM #

    “Multiple sources”?? Meaning the wackos that have been on here posting trash for a few weeks now….

    I’ll bet DY is just shaking her head at what gets posted on the Interweb!

  21. Ed89 03/26/2011 at 6:25 PM #

    I think he’d be a great choice. How many years of Head Coaching Experience did Sean Miller have in 2006 (when he was a Xavier), and Fowlup didn’t even give him an interview? How’d that work out??

  22. Ed89 03/26/2011 at 6:29 PM #

    Just so you don’t have to look it up…Miller was 37 years old in his 2nd year as a Head Coach. Alot of AD’s and universities will wish they had grabbed Smart in a few years. AD’s need to look for potential down the road, not just what they’ve done in the past.

  23. ryebread 03/26/2011 at 6:32 PM #

    Not a big fan of Smart. That would be a very high risk hire — sort of like going all in on a King Two when there is an Ace on the board. We might hit, but chances are we miss. I’m just not of a fan of the fact that he finished about fourth or fifth in their conference. I tend to think he has caught lightning in a bottle in this run.

    Give me one of the guys in the poll on the right not named Bruce Pearl. I won’t be thrilled but I willl be happy.

  24. bigwolfpacker 03/26/2011 at 6:37 PM #

    Stevens has coached a poor game today. Should have gone 2 for 1 twice and his junk defenses in it have been stupid.

  25. chriscgray 03/26/2011 at 6:40 PM #

    Doesn’t look like we will get a dream candidate guys. We gotta look past these guys that have been discussed and try to enter someone new in these conversations.

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