VCU’s Shaka Smart has been in discussion for nearly every job that has come available since he led cinderella story VCU to the Final Four in 2011. Smart is known for declining these positions at bigger schools in favor of staying committed to being the head coach at VCU. VCU became the first team to make it to the Final Four after also playing in the First Four during the first week of the NCAA tournament.
BREAKING: VCU's Shaka Smart is in discussions with Texas about its head coaching vacancy, sources told @CBSSports. Story coming.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) March 30, 2015
It appears that Smart may finally be ready to move on from VCU and take on bigger challenges at Texas. If Smart decides to leave VCU, he would replace Rick Barnes, who is very close to accepting the head coaching position at Tennessee.
Since his first season as the head coach of VCU in 2009, VCU has gone 163-56 (.744), including a 7-5 record in NCAA tournament play. VCU has become a program that can now compete for top recruits that know they will have an opportunity to play in the NCAA tournament.
If Smart were to leave VCU, the program would surely suffer largely from the loss. Many players commit to VCU so they can play for Smart and learn the game from one of the great college basketball minds. Since 2009, Smart has gained respect from players, recruits, fans, and even those outside of the VCU community.
It may finally be time for Smart to move on from VCU and bring a program to the level they should be playing at consistently. Smart has waited for the right opportunity to leave VCU, and it looks like that opportunity may have just been made available.