iStock_000083515123_Full.jpg

BASKETBALL

Thank You Nolan Smith For Your Time At Duke As A Player, Special Assistant, Director Of Basketball Operations, Assistant Coach

Nolan Smith had may roles with the Duke Men’s Basketball Program!

He was a player!

He played for Head Coach Mike Krzyzewski from 2008-2011 where he played in 121 victories in a Duke uniform to rank fifth in program history and sixth in ACC history, and his 143 games played are tied for the eighth-most in Duke annals. He served as a team captain as a senior in 2011.

During his tenure as a student-athlete, Duke went 65-2 (.970) at Cameron Indoor Stadium to set program records for both home wins and winning percentage in a four-year period.

He was aconsensus first-team All-American and ACC Player of the Year in 2011, Smith helped lead Duke to three consecutive ACC championships (2009-11) and the 2010 NCAA title during his tenure as a student-athlete.

He was a two-time All-ACC selection (2010-11) and was named ACC Tournament MVP as a senior in 2011. Smith led the ACC in scoring in his final season and his 764 points that year still rank as the ninth-best total in program history.

He helped Duke propel Duke to its fourth national championship in 2010, Smith was named Most Outstanding Player at the NCAA South Regional in Houston and earned a place on the All-Final Four Team after the Blue Devils cut down the nets in Indianapolis.

But that isn’t all Nolan Smith as done at Duke as he has also been on Mike Krzyzewski’s coaching staff.

He started out as the team’s Special Assistant before his promotion to Director of Basketball Operations & Player Development in March 2018.

As the Director Of Basketball Operations,

Nolan Smith worked in conjunction with the coaching and support staff to ensure that all team-related needs are met. He oversees the student manager program, while implementing and creating the daily basketball calendar and practice schedule. Among a wide-range of duties, he coordinates all meals and food for the basketball program, while assisting with team travel. As special assistant, his duties included assisting the coaching staff in developing game strategies, breaking down game film, planning practices and contributing in staff meetings.

“according to Nolan Smith’s Biography on goduke.com

During the 2021-2022 he was an Assistant Coach for Duke for Head Coach Mike Krzyzewski who coached his final season as the Head Coach of Duke because Nate James was named the Head Coach of Austin Peay On Tuesday April 2, 2021!

“according to an article by Sam MarsDale on 247sports.com”

Though, Nolan Smith would stay in that role for just the 2021 -2022 season where Duke went 32-7 losing to North Carolina 81-77 in the National Semifinals in New Orleans because after Duke’s loss to North Carolina Nolan Smith would become Assistant Coach to new Head Coach Kenny Payne at Louisville who like Duke is a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Why?

Louisville’s new Head Coach Kenny Payne, Nolan Smith’s late father Derek Smith played against each other in the offseason league that once ranged every summer at Atherton High School.

“according to Rick Bozich’s article on WDRB.com”

Recently Nolan Smith was introduced as the Assistant Coach to Kenny Payne in an introductory press conference!

Kenny Payne had this about adding Nolan Smith to his coaching staff!

I'm thrilled to welcome home one of the brightest young stars in the college basketball world," said Payne. "Nolan brings a wealth of knowledge and experience from one of the premier programs in the country, as well as having worked with and beside one of the best coaches in the game in Mike Krzyzewski. Nolan's character, love for young people and work ethic will be a major asset for our basketball program and this university. His father is looking down on us smiling, because his blood and spirit are running through this program once again."

Nolan Smith had this to say about joining Kenny Payne’s coaching staff!

They say second chances don't come around often; so the opportunity to officially say, 'I am a Cardinal,' I couldn't pass up," said Smith. "As a young boy growing up in Louisville, I was taught early the rich history of Louisville Basketball and the deep pride that comes with it. It is with that same pride that I have taken this opportunity to join Coach KP's staff. To echo what Coach KP said in his press conference, it is an opportunity to come home and do something special in a community that we hold so dear to our hearts. We will dedicate ourselves day-in and day-out to our players and the Louisville Basketball community."

“according to an article on gocards.com”

Though,

Kenny Payne, Nolan Smith weren’t the only ones to say something about Nolan Smith joining the Louisville coaching staff as Nolan Smith’s former Duke Men’s Basketball teammate now the Head Coach of Duke Jon Scheyer had this to say about Nolan Smith joining Kenny Payne’s coaching staff!

This is an incredible opportunity for Nolan to return to Louisville and continue his father’s extraordinary legacy. But for me it is bittersweet . Nolan’s contributions at Duke cannot be understated and I will treasure the memories made together as friends, teammates and coaches over the last 15 years. No matter where he is , he will always be an important member of the Brotherhood . Congratulations to Nolan , his wife Cheyna and the rest of the Smith family.

“according to https://twitter.com/DukeMBB

Thank you Nolan Smith for your time at Duke as a player, as the Director Of Basketball Operations, Assistant Coach

As a fan as a spectator I will miss seeing you, your college basketball teammate Jon Scheyer on the same sideline coaching the Duke Men’s Basketball team next season for seasons to come!

Why?

You, Jon Scheyer have been through every aspect of Duke Men’s Basketball together!

Your journey started as players, teammates playing for Duke Head Coach Mike Krzyzewski.

As a players, teammates,

Jon Scheyer was one of the most versatile players in Duke history, concluding his playing career as the only player in school history to record at least 2,000 points, 500 rebounds, 400 assists, 250 three-point field goals and 200 steals. He averaged 14.4 points per game while scoring in double figures 114 times (sixth-most in Duke history) and leading the Blue Devils to a 115-29 (.799) record.

A two-time team captain, Scheyer scored 2,077-career points and still ranks 10th on Duke’s all-time scoring list. He ranks third in Duke history in free throws made (608), fourth in free throw percentage (.861) and three-point field goals made (297) and sixth in free throw attempts (706). He played in 144 consecutive games, tied for the second-longest streak in Duke history.

As a senior in 2010, Scheyer averaged 18.2 points, 4.9 assists and 1.6 steals per game from the point guard position to spark Duke to a 35-5 record and its fourth national championship. He was a consensus second-team All-American and a first-team All-ACC pick in his final season after starting all 40 contests and scoring in double figures in all but two games on the year.

Jon Scheyer was named MVP of the ACC Tournament as a junior in 2009, averaging 21.7 points and 4.0 rebounds as Duke took home the title.

Nolan Smith was consensus first-team All-American and ACC Player of the Year in 2011, Smith helped lead Duke to three consecutive ACC championships (2009-11) and the 2010 NCAA title during his tenure as a student-athlete.

He was a two-time All-ACC selection (2010-11) and was named ACC Tournament MVP as a senior in 2011. Smith led the ACC in scoring in his final season and his 764 points that year still rank as the ninth-best total in program history.

In helping propel Duke to its fourth national championship in 2010, Smith was named Most Outstanding Player at the NCAA South Regional in Houston and earned a place on the All-Final Four Team after the Blue Devils cut down the nets in Indianapolis.

Then you began coaching together!

Though, you showed up on Mike Krzyzewski’s coaching staff at different times. Jon Scheyer’s coaching career at Duke began in 2013 -2014 because his career as pro basketball player got cut short as in 2010 the summer after Jon Scheyer graduated he playing in the NBA’s Summer League with the Miami Heat when Warriors forward Joe Ingles accidentally poked him in the right eye and there was so much blood that was about 30 minutes before Jon Scheyer could take the towel off . When he finally did he felt like he couldn’t open his eye but it was already open he just couldn’t see anything. Jon Scheyer felt sick to his stomach as soon as he got hit in the eye. Jon Scheyer said it was a different kind of pain I just couldn’t really explain, other then that I knew it was something serious as Jon Scheyer had a lacerated eyelid, an optic nerve injury , a retina tear , a scratched cornea.

“according to an article by Michael Rosenberg on si.com”

You joined the Duke coaching staff in February 2016. He spent two seasons as the team’s special assistant before his promotion to director of basketball operations & player development in March 2018. Smith was promoted again in April 2021 to assistant coach.n his first season on the coaching staff, Smith helped the Blue Devils claim the ACC regular season title outright with a 16-4 mark in conference play. After advancing to the championship game of the ACC Tournament, Duke won four straight games in the NCAA Tournament to punch its ticket to the Final Four for the 17th time in program history.

As a Special Assistant, Assistant Coach, Associate Head Coach Jon Scheyer helped mentor Tyus Jones in Duke’s 2015 national title season, as the Blue Devils finished the year ranked third nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency. Jones was named the Final Four Most Outstanding Player in Indianapolis and was a first-round pick in the 2015 NBA Draft after just one college season.

In 2017, Scheyer helped mold Luke Kennard into a consensus All-American after a breakout sophomore season that saw him rank second in the ACC in scoring and three-point field goal percentage. He also helped develop Frank Jackson into one of the most dynamic young guards in the country during the 2016-17 campaign.

Kennard and Jackson were selected 12th and 31st overall, respectively, in the 2017 NBA Draft.

After Grayson Allen finished his career in 2018 as the 12th-leading scorer in Duke history with 1,996 points, he was drafted in the first round by the Utah Jazz. Allen joined Scheyer as two of just five Blue Devils in history with 1,900 or more points, 400 or more rebounds and 400 or more assists (Grant Hill, Danny Ferry, Johnny Dawkins).

The 2019 campaign saw Tyus’ brother Tre enjoy a breakout year as a freshman by setting the program’s single-season record for assist-to-turnover ratio (3.62), while establishing himself as one of the nation’s premier defensive players. Jones’ classmate, RJ Barrett, finished his remarkable freshman season at Duke as a consensus first-team All-American, the USA Today National Player of the Year, and the overall No. 3 selection in the NBA Draft.

Barrett broke a myriad of program and ACC records, including both the Duke and conference freshman scoring record with 860 points. His 860 points were surpassed on the program’s single-season scoring list by only J.J. Redick’s 964 points as a senior in 2006. Barrett averaged 22.6 points and was the only major conference player in 2018-19 to score 13+ points in every game of the season.

Under Scheyer’s guidance, Tre Jones parlayed his phenomenal freshman season into a decorated sophomore campaign that ended with him as the 2020 ACC Player of the Year, the ACC Defensive Player of the Year, and an All-American. After two seasons as the starting point guard, Jones declared for the NBA Draft, leaving Duke as the program’s career record-holder in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.88) and ranking third in assists per game (5.8).

Throughout the 2021-22 season, Scheyer has worked closely with ACC Freshman of the Year and consensus second-team All-American Paolo Banchero. He has also helped guide second-team All-ACC pick Wendell Moore Jr., into performing as one of the nation's most complete players, as Moore is the only player in the NCAA shooting .500+ from the field, .400+ from three-point range and averaging 5.0+ rebounds and 4.0+ assists.

Twice during the 2021-22 regular season -- at Wake Forest on Jan. 12 and in the second half versus Wake on Feb. 15 -- Scheyer stepped in as the acting head coach. In his increased role, he helped the Blue Devils win the ACC regular season title for the first time since 2010 before advancing to the Final Four for the 17th time in program history.
Nolan Smith joined the Duke Men’s Basketball coaching staff in February 2016. He spent two seasons as the team’s special assistant before his promotion to director of basketball operations & player development in March 2018. Smith was promoted again in April 2021 to assistant coach.
helped the Blue Devils claim the ACC regular season title outright with a 16-4 mark in conference play. After advancing to the championship game of the ACC Tournament, Duke won four straight games in the NCAA Tournament to punch its ticket to the Final Four for the 17th time in program history.
”according to Jon Scheyer’s, Nolan Smith’s biography on goduke.com”