History of Shaka Smart in Timeline
Shaka Smart is a well-known figure in American men's college basketball, currently serving as the head coach at Marquette University. Prior to Marquette, he held head coaching positions at Texas and Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). His VCU team notably reached the Final Four in 2011. Smart's coaching career began as an assistant at California University (PA), followed by stints at Akron, Clemson, and Florida. A psychology graduate from Kenyon College, where he also played basketball, Smart transitioned into coaching after a brief professional playing career in Australia.
April 8, 1977: Birth of Shaka Smart
Shaka Smart was born on April 8, 1977.
1978: Texas's First NIT Championship Since 1978
The 2018-19 NIT championship win marked the first NIT championship for Texas since 1978.
1994: Smart's Father Leaves
In 1994, Shaka Smart's father left the family.
1999: College Graduation and Awards
Shaka Smart graduated magna cum laude from Kenyon College in 1999 with a degree in history. He also received the NCAC Scholar Athlete of the Year award and was named to the USA Today All-USA Academic Team.
1999: Coaching Career Begins
Shaka Smart started his coaching career in 1999 as an assistant coach at California University of Pennsylvania.
2008: Campaigns for Barack Obama
In 2008, Shaka Smart campaigned for Barack Obama in Florida.
2009: Head Coach at VCU
Shaka Smart was hired as the head coach of Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in 2009. In his first season, he led the Rams to a 27-10 record and a CBI Championship.
2010: CAA Championship Appearance
In 2010, VCU, under Shaka Smart, played in their second consecutive Colonial Athletic Association championship game but lost to Old Dominion.
2011: VCU's Final Four Appearance
In 2011, Shaka Smart led Virginia Commonwealth University to their first and only Final Four appearance in the NCAA tournament.
2011: VCU's NCAA Tournament Run
In the 2011 NCAA tournament, VCU, coached by Shaka Smart, advanced to the Final Four after starting in the First Four. They defeated USC, Georgetown, Purdue, and Florida State before losing to Butler in the semi-final.
2012: Campaigns for Barack Obama
In 2012, Shaka Smart campaigned for Barack Obama in Virginia.
January 2013: 100th Win Milestone
In January 2013, Shaka Smart achieved his 100th win as a coach with a victory over Duquesne University.
2015: Head Coach at Texas
Shaka Smart became the head coach of the University of Texas men's basketball team in 2015. In his first season, the team went 20-13 and made it to the NCAA tournament.
May 2017: Mohamed Bamba Commits to Texas
In May 2017, Shaka Smart secured a commitment from Mohamed Bamba, a top-ranked recruit, to play basketball at the University of Texas.
2018: NCAA Tournament Appearance and Loss
In 2018, Smart's Texas team made the NCAA tournament but lost in the first round to the University of Nevada.
2018: NIT Championship
In the 2018-2019 season, Shaka Smart coached Texas to a National Invitation Tournament (NIT) championship.
March 2021: Big 12 Championship and Departure from Texas
In March 2021, Shaka Smart led Texas to a Big 12 conference championship and an NCAA tournament appearance, where they lost in the first round. He subsequently left the University of Texas.
March 2021: Head Coach at Marquette University
Shaka Smart became the head coach at Marquette University in March 2021.
2022: Henry Iba Award
At the close of the 2022-2023 season, Shaka Smart received the Henry Iba Award as national coach of the year.
2022: Contract Extension at Texas
Shaka Smart received a contract extension at the University of Texas that was to have kept him at the university through the 2022-2023 season.