Legendary Oak Hill Academy basketball Head Coach Steve Smith has announced that he is retiring after 39 years. In his long tenure coaching high school basketball players he has helped mold and prepare young minds to play in all levels of basketball including the NBA. His list of accomplishments is almost too long to list and he will be remembered as one of the best high school basketball coaches of all time. Oak Hill has been prestigious and successful for years largely due to him.
Breaking News ? Coach Steve Smith is retiring from Oak Hill Academy following this season. Congrats to Coach Smith on a legendary career! pic.twitter.com/tOQwEx9DLe
— NIBC (@NIBCOfficial) February 8, 2022
When talking to MaxPreps about his retirement, Steve Smith had the following to say about his relationship with basketball: “I grew up around the game, it was my first love. I was the water boy for my dad since 3rd grade”. In his tenure with Oak Hill, he coached 34 McDonald’s All Americans, 225 NCAA division one players, and 35 NBA draftees. A truly legendary career in high school basketball.
While the list of players that have played under Steve Smith is too long to list it does include Kevin Durant, Jerry Stackhouse, Carmelo Anthony, Josh Smith, Cole Anthony, and many more players. High School basketball at the top levels is truly competitive and there are few names better than Steve Smith.
His record at Oak Hill in his career is 1,225-98 which is good enough for third all-time. While Smith did not coach in the NCAA or the NBA his impact on both can not be understated throughout his career. We here at Def Pen Sports wish him the best while he moves to the next stage of his life and into retirement.
