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Tubby Smith steps down as High Point coach, son G.G. Smith takes over

By Patrick Schmidt

Dec 31, 2021; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; High Point Panthers head coach and former Kentucky Wildcats head coach Tubby Smith has his jersey retired before the game against the Kentucky Wildcats at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 31, 2021; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; High Point Panthers head coach and former Kentucky Wildcats head coach Tubby Smith has his jersey retired before the game against the Kentucky Wildcats at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports /
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High Point head coach Tubby Smith announced he is stepping down as the men’s basketball coach after a second bout of COVID kept him away from the team.

Tubby Smith is stepping down as the men’s basketball coach at High Point. The 70-year-old Smith was forced to take an extended absence from his team after he was diagnosed with COVID-19 for the second time.

Replacing Smith on the bench is his son, G.G. Smith who will coach the team for the remainder of this season and will stay in his role for the 2022-2023 season as well. His future beyond that will likely be determined by how well High Point fares under his watch.

“I feel blessed to have had an amazing career leading, coaching and teaching great young men at first-class institutions,” Smith said in the statement. “Working at my alma mater during this stage of my career has been a dream. I’m thrilled that G.G. will be taking over as head coach. He will do a super job.

Tubby Smith steps down as High Point head coach

With the elder Smith no longer serving as coach, High Point said he will help assist with community engagement and fundraising for the rest of the year.

“Moving forward [wife] Donna and I will continue the work we have done for over two decades to support and assist the University as proud alums of HPU. HPU will always have a very special place in our hearts as we met and fell in love here at High Point. Our commitment and passion for HPU will never wane and we intend to continue be an integral part of its growth and prosperity well into the future.”

Smith, who won a national championship at Kentucky in 1998 and had his jersey retired when his team visited Lexington on Dec. 31, was hired by High Point in 2018 after he was fired by Memphis. He was 45-68 during his time with his alma mater.

Smith began his head coaching career at Tulsa before going to Georgia and later Kentucky — where he had his greatest success — Minnesota, Texas Tech and Memphis before arriving back at High Point where he played from 1969-1973.

If this is the end of Smith’s coaching career, he finishes with a career record of 642-370 and the distinction of taking five different teams to the NCAA Tournament.

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