Who is former NBA coach Keith Smart? What we know about the new coach taking charge of AJ Dybantsa's Utah Prep

By Inioluwa

Modified Jan 15, 2025 23:18 GMT

Follow Us

Share

0 Discuss

Utah Prep announced the hiring of NBA veteran and long-time NBA coach Keith Smart as its new head coach on Tuesday. He will be replacing Justin Yamzon, who was let go about a week ago.

Keith Smart, who is usually remembered for his game-winning shot that won the Indiana Hoosiers the 1987 NCAA championship, has been a basketball coach for 27 years. After wrapping up his playing career with the Fort Wayne Fury in 1997, he wasted no time transitioning to the sidelines, starting his coaching journey with the same team.

After about three years with Fort Wayne, Smart made his NBA coaching debut in 2000, joining the Cleveland Cavaliers as an assistant coach. Over the next two decades, he coached six NBA teams: the Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors, Sacramento Kings, Miami Heat, Memphis Grizzlies and New York Knicks, primarily as an assistant. However, he stepped into head coaching roles with the Cavaliers, Warriors and Kings during that time.

After leaving his role as an assistant coach with the Knicks in 2019, Keith Smart then served as an assistant coach with the Arkansas Razorbacks from 2021 to 2024. He will now be joining Utah Prep, where he hopes that his wealth of NBA experience will help take the team to greater heights.

"I'm honored to join Utah Prep Academy," Smart said. "This is a program that has grown to unprecedented prominence in such a short period of time. I'm excited to build on the great work that's already been done and help these young men achieve their goals both on and off the court."

"Keith Smart is a game-changer": BYU signee AJ Dybantsa on former NBA coach Keith Smart's hiring

Utah Prep team captain and No. 1 prospect AJ Dybantsa expressed his thoughts on the hiring of former NBA coach Keith Smart as the new head coach for Utah Prep.

"Keith Smart is a game-changer," Dybantsa said. "Having someone with his experience and knowledge is incredible. I'm excited to learn from him and grow as a player and a person. This is going to be a special season."

AJ Dybantsa, who signed with BYU, has said that the major influencing factor behind his college choice was the wealth of NBA experience on the BYU coaching crew. He will now get to play under a coach with professional experience for the remainder of his high school career before he transitions to college basketball next season.