VCU fills out hoops recruiting class
Throughout the month of March, the Virginia Commonwealth University men’s basketball program defeated some of college basketball’s heavyweights.
Over a month later, Head Coach Shaka Smart and the Rams haven’t stopped as they landed coveted big man, Jarred Guest (Columbia, S.C.), out of Charis Prep and Richland Northeast High School.
“We’re very excited about adding Jarred to our program,” Smart said. “His athleticism and diverse skill set fit our style of play extremely well. More importantly, He’s a quality young man with a terrific upside, both on and off the court.” Read more
Former VCU coach added to Coach K’s staff at Duke
Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski announced that former Blue Devil Jeff Capel joins the staff as an assistant coach and Nate James is named special assistant. Capel returns to Duke after spending the previous nine years as the head coach at Virginia Commonwealth (2002-06) and Oklahoma (2006-11), while James has been an assistant coach at Duke for the past three seasons.
“We are excited to have Jeff joining our staff,” said Krzyzewski. “He is an outstanding coach and will be a great fit in our program. Jeff has been a highly successful head coach at the Division I level and he will continue that here at Duke. Adding a coach of his caliber will make everyone in our program better.” Read more
VCU sixth in final USA Today/ESPN Coaches’ poll
It’s a well-known fact that Shaka Smart is a history buff.
Then it really comes as no surprise as Smart and his Rams continue to rewrite the history books when it comes to VCU basketball. For the first time ever, the Black & Gold earned a top-10 ranking, finishing sixth in the final USA Today/ESPN Coaches’ poll of the 2010-11 season. Read more
The AFP on WREL: Change of seasons
AFP editor Chris Graham talks sports on WREL-1450AM’s “Online with Jim Bresnahan.”
Monday’s ugly NCAA Tournament final that crowned UConn national champs with a 53-41 win over Butler begins the show. Chris tells us that the win is all the more impressive for the Huskies because they beat the Bulldogs at their game.
Next the guys talk about the surprise move by VCU coach Shaka Smart to stay in Richmond after the Rams’ run to the Final Four. It’s not as unexpected as you might think, according to Chris.
College baseball and the hot start of the Baltimore Orioles wrap us up.
Smart move? VCU coach decides to stay where he is
Shaka Smart is not going to be at VCU much longer. That was the conventional wisdom even before the Rams’ surprise run in the 2011 NCAA Tournament had come to an end.
And then comes today’s shocker. Smart, 33, has agreed in principle to an eight-year extension at Virginia Commonwealth, after reportedly spurning N.C. State.
Is this a good move on Smart’s part? I think so, and here’s why. Read more
Chris Graham: Smart move? VCU coach decides to stay where he is
Shaka Smart is not going to be at VCU much longer. That was the conventional wisdom even before the Rams’ surprise run in the 2011 NCAA Tournament had come to an end.
And then comes today’s shocker. Smart, 33, has agreed in principle to an eight-year extension at Virginia Commonwealth, after reportedly spurning N.C. State.
Is this a good move on Smart’s part? I think so, and here’s why.
Pay: VCU is reportedly going to pay Smart $1.2 million in base salary a season, a substantial raise from the $325,000 in base salary (and $640,000 total including performance bonuses) that he made this season. I have no idea how they can do it, but the fact that they are puts VCU as close to the big leagues as you can get. (Consider UVa. coach Tony Bennett, in the ACC, who brings home around $1.8 million annually.)
Pressure: Or lack thereof. If you’re Bennett at UVa., you need to win and win soon, and win consistently. Consider Bennett’s predecessor, Dave Leitao, ACC Coach of the Year in his second season in Charlottesville, fired after year four for posting one losing campaign. Smart is coach-for-life at VCU, or at least as long as he wants to be. (I’d like to see the buyout VCU is putting on him considering the base pay. Probably pretty steep.) He goes to an N.C. State, and he could just as easily do a Jeff Capel (a Smart predecessor at VCU) and end up jobless four years from now.
The Gonzaga Effect: VCU could very well be the next Gonzaga in the sense of how the ‘Zags have built a consistent NCAA Tournament contender as a midmajor-in-name-only. Gonzaga is able to recruit with the big boys due to the reputation that it has built for itself. Now that VCU has been to the Final Four mountaintop and has the game’s hottest young coach at the helm for the long term, it’s almost inconceivable that it won’t be able to build a consistent winner along those same lines.
Smart to stay at VCU: Agrees to eight-year extension
Virginia Commonwealth University officials announced today that head men’s basketball coach Shaka Smart has agreed in principle to an eight-year contract.
The agreement comes on the heels of VCU’s historic appearance in the Final Four of the 2011 NCAA Tournament.
“Coach Smart’s contributions to the university are unquantifiable,” said VCU President Michael Rao. “His character, intelligence and pursuit of excellence embody VCU’s core values.
“Shaka’s leadership has forever raised awareness of VCU as the national research university that it is, and I am pleased to continue working with him to advance VCU,” Rao said. Read more
