Tubby Smith will not go gently into that good night, set to coach High Point
Tubby Smith has not adapted well to the current state of college basketball, but his alma mater will give him a chance to keep coaching.
Since leaving Kentucky in 2007, before he may have been fired, Tubby Smith has led a team to the NCAA Tournament just four times in the last 11 seasons at three schools. He spent the last two seasons at Memphis, with a 40-26 record, but a major decline on the business side led to Smith being let go in favor or Penny Hardaway.
Smith has gotten by somewhat on name recognition, and lingering memories of a 1998 national title in his first year at Kentucky with a lot of Rick Pitino’s players. But opportunities for any kind of major job seem to have finally dried up, with ESPN’s Jeff Goodman reporting Smith is on the verge of a deal to take over as coach at High Point.
Smith is a High Point alum, having played there from 1969-1973 before starting his coaching career in the high school ranks.
Minnesota was glad to get Smith off his run at Kentucky in 2007, but the results did not follow with a 124-81 record and three NCAA Tournament appearances in six seasons. He was fired and went to Texas Tech, leading the Red Raiders to the NCAA Tournament in his third season while winning Big 12 Coach of the Year in 2016.
Tubby Smith on the verge of taking job at his alma mater, High Point, sources told ESPN. Will head to High Point Monday to finish the negotiations.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) March 25, 2018
Smith will replace Scott Cherry, who was 146-134 over nine seasons at High Point with a 14-16 mark this year (9-9 in the Big South). The Panthers have never reached the NCAA Tournament as a Division I program.
High Point’s leading scorer, junior guard Andre Fox (15.7 points per game), was reportedly denied his request to transfer. Smith will surely revisit that and possibly allow Fox to leave, or it’s possible a coaching change will make Fox reconsider.
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Smith got a nice buyout from Memphis, reportedly $9.75 million, which should be enough to make a man approaching his 67th birthday think about whether he really wants to coach anymore. But the Tubby Smith retirement tour will make its fourth and probably final stop, fittingly enough at his alma mater.