As has been widely rumored for weeks, Nolan Smith will leave the Duke basketball program to accept a position on Kenny Payne’s senior coaching staff in Louisville.
According to ESPN’s Mark Spears, that position will be at U of L’s associate head coach.
Former NBA guard Nolan Smith has spoken to Duke’s men’s basketball team and told them he plans to accept a position as assistant head coach with new head coach Kenny Payne at the University of Louisville, a source said @andscape. Smith’s late father Derek starred in The Cards.
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) April 4, 2022
Smith is the son of Derek Smith, who played in Louisville from 1978 to 1982 before embarking on an 8-year NBA career. He then spent two seasons as an assistant coach with the Washington Bullets, a job he still held when he died suddenly of a heart attack in 1996.
Born in Louisville, Nolan Smith went on to become one of the most in-demand players in the Recruit class in 2007. He eventually chose Duke over U of L and helped lead the Blue Devils to the 2010 national championship.
After a four-year pro career that included a two-year stint with the Portland Trailblazers, Smith returned to Durham to begin his coaching career. After serving as a special assistant and director of basketball operations, Smith spent last season as one of Mike Krzyzewski’s three primary assistants.
Smith, 33, is considered one of the “rising stars” in the college basketball coaching world and was the lead recruiter on several of the 2022 and 2023 prospects that Duke was involved with.
Very very happy with this rental. Let’s get this thing up and running.