There is virtually no reason for the Marquette Golden Eagles to part ways with Shaka Smart, unless he decided to be sentimental and return to his former team.
Smart’s name is being connected to his former team Virginia Commonwealth University where he first gained national attention for leading them to their first and only Final Four appearance in 2011.
Virginia Basketball is currently in search of a new head coach to replace Tony Bennett who suddenly resigned from his post a month before the start of the season. Ron Sanchez took over for him but his stint will more likely meet its soon.
Smart, known as a player’s coach, has been with Marquette since 2021. He inherited a team that finished with a 13-14 record. He has won at least four Coach of the Year Awards from different bodies since moving there.
The team also get better each season. In his first year (2021-2022), he improved the team massively by finishing with a 19–13 to finished fifth overall. They also reached NCAA first round at that time.
They made the second round of NCAA next season and then the Sweet 16 in the next one.
Chances of Virginia pirating Shaka Smart from Marquette Golden Eagles
William Smythe of Sports Illustrated puts Virginia’s signing of Smart as “more idealistic” which means they can dream. The other category is “realistic.”
However, he encourages the program to put the 47-year-old coach as their first option to replace Bennett.
“Virginia’s No. 1 option should still be Smart, even if it’s a longshot that he decides to step away from a comfortable job in the Big East. While it might take some significant leverage to pull the Wisconsin native away from Milwaukee, the ‘Hoos could feasibly scrounge together the resources to attract a coach of his caliber,” he wrote.
Now what the chances of Marquette letting him go? Smythe did not specify it but he believes Virginia might have a chance if the Golden Eagles regress before the season’s end.
While Smart’s Golden Eagles have regressed a bit this season, he’s put together a strong campaign following the departures of Kolek and Ighodaro. Virginia would have to offer a compelling deal to Smart to lure him from Wisconsin. We’ll have to keep a close eye on the rest of Marquette’s season as they look to bounce back from a recent slump.
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