Tennessee State men's basketball hires Memphis Tigers assistant Nolan Smith as next coach
Former Duke basketball All-American Nolan Smith, who also played in the NBA, was hired on July 18 as coach of the Tennessee State men's basketball team.
Smith, 36, spent last season as an assistant on coach Penny Hardaway's staff with the Memphis Tigers after being at Louisville the previous two seasons. A news conference introducing Smith as TSU's new coach will take place July 21 on campus.
Smith replaces Brian "Penny" Collins, who resigned in June after seven seasons to accept a position on the Memphis Grizzlies' staff. Collins led TSU to a 17-16 record and the semifinals of the Ohio Valley Conference tournament during the 2024-25 season.
“With Coach Collins leaving to take the Grizzlies job, it made things move very quickly," Smith said. "Before I blinked, it was boom-boom-boom. ‘You want it?’ ‘Yes.’ 'All right, let’s go.’ ”
Hardaway said he is confident Smith is ready to be a head coach.
"If anyone is deserving of this position, it's Nolan," Hardaway said in a news release. "He is prepared and ready for the job. Nolan's time at Memphis was short, but he made a huge impact on our program. I'm very confident he will do the same at TSU."
Smith began his coaching career at Duke. He spent two years as a special assistant to coach Mike Krzyzewski from 2016 to 2018 before becoming the Blue Devils' director of basketball operations.
In 2021, Krzyzewski promoted Smith to assistant coach.
"I'm so happy for Nolan and his beautiful family," Krzyzewski said in TSU's news release. "Nolan was an All-American and a national champion at Duke. He was a joy to coach, and our fans loved him — they called him 'the people's champ.' He was also an exceptional assistant coach. Now, he's ready to be an exceptional head coach at Tennessee State."
Smith said it was Krzyzewski who first encouraged him to strive to become a head coach. And part of that preparation was to consider who you would hire on your staff.
“That’s one thing Coach K, he always groomed us to be head coaches," Smith said. "He always had us thinking and acting as if we would be head coaches. Like, ‘Hey, if you get one this summer, who are you going to hire?’ So, I’ve always kind of thought like that.”
Dec 21, 2024; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Tigers assistant coach Nolan Smith looks on against the Mississippi State Bulldogs during the first half at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Wesley Hale-Imagn Images
Smith is the third coach of a major sport TSU athletic director Mikki Allen has hired since 2024. He hired Candice Dupree as the women's basketball coach in 2024 and Reggie Barlow as the football coach in March.
"Nolan Smith is a championship-caliber leader with elite playing experience, high basketball IQ, and a proven track record of developing NBA talent," Allen said. "He brings top-tier recruiting connections, a player-first approach, and a deeply authentic bond with today's student-athletes. Shaped by some of the game's best, Nolan will lead our program with integrity and impact — on the court and in the community. Our future is in great hands."
As a player, Smith was a consensus first-team All-American and the ACC player of the year in 2011. He helped lead Duke to three consecutive ACC championships and the 2010 NCAA national championship.
The Upper Marlboro, Maryland, native was a two-time All-ACC selection who led the conference in scoring as a senior (20.6 ppg) during the 2010-11 season, when he was team captain.
He ranks 17th on Duke’s career scoring chart with 1,911 points and helped lead the Blue Devils to a 121-22 career record, the fifth-most victories for a player at Duke and sixth-most in ACC history.
Smith was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers with the 21st overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft. He played four seasons in professional basketball in the NBA, G-League and overseas.
Reach Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on X @MikeOrganWriter.
