http://www.timesdispatch.com/sports/coll...a400b.html


Could you ever see JMU doing something like this, because I can't!

VCU can do this because we don't have to split resources between football and basketball.

Apples and oranges.

"Smart cannot be fired for failing to win a particular game or a particular number of games. He can be dismissed by the university president without cause, but Smart would receive $1.3 million for each year remaining on his contract unless he finds other employment. Then, he would receive the difference between his new salary and the $1.3 million owed by VCU.

Damn, I guess he's pretty proven, but still. VCU is pretty much all in on Shaka not going downhill.

Pretty safe bet.

He has the #7 recruiting class in the country coming in next year per ESPN, has VCU ranked #15 in the country in the preseason coaches poll, and we're just about done raising 15 million dollars privately for a 57,000 square foot basketball training complex.

He's done about as much in 4 years to prove oneself as you can to deserve a long-term contract. 3 straight NCAA tournaments and advanced in each one including a Final Four. He's turned down the likes of UCLA, Southern Cal, Minnesota, Illinois, NC State, and Maryland in that time.

VCU isn't risking all that much here. There is pretty limited downside when you're talking about a guy like Shaka Smart. It's more for recruits to know he's committed to VCU and VCU's committed to him.

I bet he's not leaving VCU for anything other than Duke, UNC, Kansas or Kentucky at this point.

I think Shaka is an excellent coach and deserves every bit of the contract, but from VCU's standpoint, I think it's very risky. He is extended up to 15 years? That's a long time. There's no guarantee he'll continue to land top recruits and continue to win for a period that long.
I also think he might even be turning down those "top 4" bball schools if they ever came calling. That'll be the day that a VCU coach turns down Duke. I'd love to see that haha.

It's really a 10 year contract that automatically extends 1 year in each of the first 5 years. It's mainly just for recruiting so he can say he's under contract for the next 10 years in each of the next 5 seasons. lol

Don't get me wrong, I think Shaka is a great coach and VCU is very lucky to have him(and I hate that they have him lol). I'm just saying, you never know how things can change and that's a hell of a commitment and for a long time. Not a bad idea, like I said I think Shaka is a great coach, it's smart to do whatever you can to keep him around. Still, like I said, they're pretty much all in on Shaka.

Yea, that's fair.

I think once we went to the Final 4, we were all in on Shaka. For a mid-major to go to 1 million + per year on anyone for an extended period of time demonstrates that. It's good for our program as far as perception as well if/when we need a new coach.

There's some risk, but it's about as negligible a risk as you can have when it comes to coaching contracts. It's Shaka Smart.

He brings in far more than we pay him in national publicity and exposure, so it's well worth the investment as far as our admins are concerned.

I think its awesome that VCU has the marbles to make a bold move like this.

Shaka will eventually leave for the NBA. I actually think he will not be at VCU in two years.

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(10-23-2013 07:34 PM)Clueless Economist Wrote:  Shaka will eventually leave for the NBA. I actually think he will not be at VCU in two years.

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No way Shaka can get NBA players to press reguarly for an 82 game season.

Maybe he could have a havoc formation used in the second or third quarter, but the press isn't viable for an NBA season.

Agreed on that. Shaka's whole style and system would never work in the NBA with pro players.

I could see him leaving VCU, but I doubt it's the NBA that would draw him.

Probably a bona fide top 5 blue-blood job. Some folks would put UCLA there, but that job is unappealing for several reasons.

(10-24-2013 11:10 AM)VCUfan Wrote:  Agreed on that. Shaka's whole style and system would never work in the NBA with pro players.

I could see him leaving VCU, but I doubt it's the NBA that would draw him.

Probably a bona fide top 5 blue-blood job. Some folks would put UCLA there, but that job is unappealing for several reasons.

Most notably becuase they just hired Steve Alford mere months after he signed like a decade long deal with New Mexico. Just because somebody has a long contract doesn't mean they can't leave.

I think Shaka is holding out for Duke to be honest. Now that Brad Stevens is in the NBA (and will be successful in my opinion), I think SS is eyeing the Blue Devils since Krzyzewski is pushing 70.

I was thinking more North Carolina. Coach K and Duke wanting to keep the next hire in the family has been well-publicized, much like UConn with Kevin Ollie, Syracuse with Mike Hopkins etc.

Johnny Dawkins and Chris Collins are guys who'll likely get the call when K is done.

UNC on the other hand doesn't seem to be concerned about that. It fits the mold as a large, basketball-focused public school with a ton of resources.

(10-30-2013 02:10 PM)VCUfan Wrote:  I was thinking more North Carolina. Coach K and Duke wanting to keep the next hire in the family has been well-publicized, much like UConn with Kevin Ollie, Syracuse with Mike Hopkins etc.

Johnny Dawkins and Chris Collins are guys who'll likely get the call when K is done.

UNC on the other hand doesn't seem to be concerned about that. It fits the mold as a large, basketball-focused public school with a ton of resources.

Very interesting info there. I wasn't aware that Duke was so committed to keeping it "in the family" when Coach K leaves.

UNC might be a logical destination for Smart to go to if he continues his insane success at VCU. However, expectations at UNC are absurd. I read an article about how Roy Williams is on the hot seat despite the fact that they won an NC in 09 and went to the elite 8 in 11 and 12...it's baffling.

Ironically enough, Gary Parrish just released an article on the very issue not long after that post if you're interested: http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketba...louisville

He mentions Smart and UNC as well.

Some of those guys really could keep coaching well into their 70s. My theory is that Roy Williams and Jim Boehim are forced out while Pitino and Coach K know when to call it quits.