VCU’s Smart ready for first game as head coach

The suggestion box for Shaka Smart contains similar, short submissions from his mentors.

"The biggest advice they've given me by far is just to be yourself and not try to be someone else, not try to be them," Smart said. "Just be what comes naturally to me."

Smart embarks tonight on his first game as a head coach when Virginia Commonwealth opens against Bethune-Cookman at 7:30 at the Siegel Center.

The 32-year-old Smart seems neither nervous about, nor in awe of, his position as boss of a program that wants to maintain the foothold it has gained on the college basketball mountain.

The Rams have been to the NCAA tournament three of the past six years. They have won 70 percent (155-66) of their games since the 2002-03 season. They were 76-25 with two NCAA appearances in three years under Anthony Grant before he left for Alabama.

"I'm really big on just kind of taking things as they come," Smart said. "Being as prepared as you can but not getting too worked up when something maybe does surprise you. It's still a basketball game. I've been involved in a lot of basketball games over the years. It's just a different role."

Smart served as an assistant for 10 years at California University (Pa.), Dayton, Akron, Clemson and Florida, and some of his teachers believe he is more than ready because of his intellect and experiences.

Smart, who played at Kenyon College, graduated magna cum laude and was one of 20 student-athletes selected for the 1999 USA Today All-USA academic team.

"He's an intense guy," point guard Joey Rodriguez said. "He's cool because he's so young. We all know he's so knowledgeable about things other than basketball. And he's so basketball smart."

Smart trades ideas with Akron coach Keith Dambrot almost daily. He frequently talks to Clemson coach Oliver Purnell and Florida coach Billy Donovan.

The biggest adjustment, he said, has been the volume of decisions.

"When you're an assistant, you have a lot of great suggestions," he said. "When you're a head coach, it's no longer about suggestions, it's about making final decisions. A lot of the time it's not even the big things. It's the small details that you never even thought about as an assistant."

Like Grant, Smart is a disciple of full-court pressure defense and a frenetic pace. He knows there will be times when he feels his way along as he learns himself, his players and his system.

"I would say my biggest learning curve is continuing to understand that it's a work in progress," he said. "A lot of times as an assistant you say, 'Well, if that was me, I'd do this or this or this.' Now, I have that opportunity, which is terrific.

"When you move over to become the head coach, you understand it takes time and there are certain things that go into what you want to get done that maybe as an assistant you didn't have a great grasp of. That will be a challenge for me on a daily basis and a game-by-game basis. The great thing is, we're not afraid to work for it."

Note: Rob Brandenberg signed his letter of intent with VCU. The 6-2 guard is from Gahanna Lincoln High outside Columbus, Ohio. Smart's other signee is 6-7 forward Reco McCarter from Goldsboro, N.C.