SB Nation DC - Shaka Smart Will Remain VCU's Head Coach, Signs New Eight-Year Contract, According To Reporthttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48897/dc-fave.png2011-04-04T16:12:39-04:00http://dc.sbnation.com/rss/stream/18408062011-04-04T16:12:39-04:002011-04-04T16:12:39-04:00Shaka Smart Signs Eight-Year Contract With VCU Worth $1.2 Million Per Season, According To Report
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<p>New details have emerged about Shaka Smart's new contract to remain VCU basketball's head coach, and it appears he took a pay cut of sorts. Smart will sign an eight-year contract with a base salary of $1.2 million per season, less than the reported annual salary he would have received at North Carolina State, <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/goodmanonfox/status/54994014302240768">according to FOX Sports' Jeff Goodman</a>. That figure does not include bonuses.</p>
<p>Smart <a href="http://dc.sbnation.com/2011/4/4/2090479/shaka-smart-vcu-basketball-coach-nc-state">decided to stay at VCU</a> over bolting to North Carolina State, his athletic director confirmed earlier. N.C. State was prepared to offer him a six-year contract worth nearly $2 million a year, <a href="http://dc.sbnation.com/2011/4/4/2090220/shaka-smart-vcu-basketball-coach">according to a previous report</a>. This means that Smart took an $800,000 or so pay cut annually in exchange for two more years on his contract.</p>
<p>Of course, this is still a major raise on Smart's previous contract, which paid him a base salary of just $350,000 a year, so Smart is making out just fine. </p>
https://dc.sbnation.com/2011/4/4/2090715/shaka-smart-vcu-basketball-contractMike Prada2011-04-04T14:12:42-04:002011-04-04T14:12:42-04:00Shaka Smart Remains VCU's Head Coach After He Turned Down NC State, Athletic Director Says
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<p>It's now confirmed: Shaka Smart will remain as VCU basketball's head coach after leading the Rams to the 2011 Final Four. VCU Athletic director Norwood Teague <a href="http://aol.sportingnews.com/ncaa-basketball/story/2011-04-04/shaka-smart-turns-down-nc-state">confirmed to Mike DeCourcy of Sporting News</a> that Smart has turned down an offer from North Carolina State to stay in Richmond.</p>
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<p>VCU head coach Shaka Smart, who led the Rams to the 2011 Final Four, has informed officials at N.C. State he does not wish to be considered for the vacant Wolfpack coaching position.</p>
<p>VCU athletic director Norwood Teague confirmed to Sporting News that Smart had been offered the N.C. State job, but declined to stay with the Rams.</p>
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<p>North Carolina State <a href="http://dc.sbnation.com/2011/4/4/2090220/shaka-smart-vcu-basketball-coach">made an offer of $2 million per year for Smart</a>, but he elected not to take it. It remains unclear how much his new contract with VCU will pay him, but he will certainly be receiving a raise over the $350,000 base salary he received this season.</p>
https://dc.sbnation.com/2011/4/4/2090479/shaka-smart-vcu-basketball-coach-nc-stateMike Prada2011-04-04T12:38:04-04:002011-04-04T12:38:04-04:00Shaka Smart Correct To Stay As VCU's Head Coach After Final Four Run
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<p>If the reports are true, Shaka Smart is making an excellent decision to stay at VCU instead of go to a power-conference program like North Carolina State.</p> <p>Sadly, the magical and unprecedented run of the VCU Rams through the 2011 NCAA Tournament has come to a close. With that finality settling in for the program, the big (only?) question surrounding VCU basketball in the past couple days was the future of head coach (and new media darling) Shaka Smart. Someone <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqH21LEmfbQ">cue The Clash</a>, because all we heard these past couple days is, should Shaka stay or go?</p>
<p>VCU and their "havoc" defense ran roughshod over multiple BCS conference programs on its way to the Final Four, and Smart's enthusiasm and engaging personality quickly won over a national media corps that for the most part macheted VCU's mere inclusion in the tournament. Shaka, if I may be a bit casual, pulled out every <a href="http://dc.sbnation.com/2011/4/2/2087721/final-four-vcu-vs-butler-score-shaka-smart-quote">motivational trick</a> in the book during the run, squeezing every last ounce out of his Colonial Athletic Association squad. Even after the crushing loss to Butler (Smart's first postseason loss by the way), <a href="http://www.asapsports.com/show_interview.php?id=70400">Shaka's postgame comments</a> seemed to indicate he wasn't going anywhere.</p>
<p>But did that ever stop the 24/7 media cycle from coaching carousel speculation? Heck and no. Smart just led his team on a brilliant tournament run. He's young and passionate. Athletic Directors now know who he is. This must have meant he was going for the big payday at a BCS school, right? </p>
<p>Um, it seems like folks haven't been paying attention. There was no reason for Smart to leave VCU right now, and<a href="http://dc.sbnation.com/2011/3/28/2076765/vcu-basketball-shaka-smart-contract"> if this report is correct</a>, he made the right decision to stay.</p>
<p>I don't claim to now the ins and outs of the North Carolina State basketball program, so this is not intended to be a slight, but why the heck would Smart go to a perennial doormat in the ACC when he can build a powerhouse in a rising mid-major conference like the CAA? Smart doesn't need the money. With bonuses, he made a little over $600K this year. VCU AD Norwood Teague has already stated his desire for Smart and his assistants to stay, and that will surely come with a raise for both the head coach and his staff. I think <a href="http://msn.foxsports.com/collegebasketball/story/smart-must-be-cautious-with-next-step">this quote</a> from senior AD Mike Ellis summed up the current situation best, on both sides:</p>
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<p>"With Shaka, it's not about him," Ellis said. "He'd rather have more for his staff and more for the program. At the same time, we have to make it about him, also."</p>
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<p>Keep in mind too that VCU will benefit big-time from its Final Four run. VCU facilities are already being upgraded, with a $4 million renovation project on the hoops facilities already underway. Recruits will instantly know Smart and the Rams when he walks into a living room thanks to the Final Four run, which is huge given the departures of seniors Joey Rodriguez, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/25720/jamie-skeen">Jamie Skeen</a>, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/27003/ed-nixon">Ed Nixon</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/26993/brandon-rozzell">Brandon Rozzell</a>. The AD will make sure to keep Shaka happy by keeping his assistants happy. The CAA is quickly building a reputation as mid-major tournament player year in and year out. Etc.</p>
<p>I guess what I'm saying is that I'm not only happy Shaka stayed because it makes for a great story. I'm also happy because, frankly, it seems to me that it would have been crazy for him to leave. The VCU kingdom is his to rule, for as long as he wants, and I for one want to see a long and distinguished reign by Shaka and the Rams. </p>
https://dc.sbnation.com/2011/4/4/2089870/shaka-smart-vcu-basketball-final-four-2011T.J. Doyle2011-04-04T12:20:52-04:002011-04-04T12:20:52-04:00Shaka Smart To Remain VCU's Basketball Coach, According To Report
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<p>Shaka Smart is the hottest coach on the market after he led VCU basketball to the 2011 Final Four, but it looks like he will not go anywhere. Smart will be staying at VCU, turning down Missouri and North Carolina State, <a href="http://gregg-doyel.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/5881996/28267847">according to CBS Sports' Gregg Doyel</a>.</p>
<p>Smart was rumored to be the front-runner for the Missouri and North Carolina State jobs, but Missouri went in a different direction, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/2011/4/4/2089580/frank-haith-hired-missouri-basketball-coach-miami-texas">hiring Miami's Frank Haith instead</a>. North Carolina State, meanwhile, put together a package to lure Smart, but it appears he has turned it down. <a href="http://www.accsports.com/blogs/david-glenn/2011040410199/nc-state-update-shaka-smart-answer-coming-soon.php">David Glenn of ACCSports.com</a> has details on N.C. State's offer.</p>
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According to sources, the Wolfpack's presentation to Smart included a six-year commitment worth approximately $2 million per year. Among ACC basketball coaches, only Duke's Mike Krzyzewski, UNC's Roy Williams and Maryland's Gary Williams make more than that amount in base compensation. </p>
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<p>VCU's offer, meanwhile, is expected to be worth well over $1 million a year, according to Glenn. Smart's base salary was $350,000 last season.</p>
https://dc.sbnation.com/2011/4/4/2090220/shaka-smart-vcu-basketball-coachMike Prada2011-03-28T13:03:31-04:002011-03-28T13:03:31-04:00VCU Hopes To Keep Shaka Smart As Its Head Coach
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<p>VCU's stunning run to the 2011 Final Four has made 33-year-old head coach Shaka Smart a major commodity on the coaching market. This is nothing new to VCU, who has already lost young hotshot coaches Jeff Capel and Anthony Grant to power-conference programs this decade. However, the school seems determined to prevent that from happening this time.</p>
<p>Athletic director Norwood Teague said the school has "every plans" of keeping Smart and will be "proactive" in doing so. <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/communities/campusrivalry/post/2011/03/vcu-ad-on-coach-shaka-smart-were-gonna-keep-him/1">Via Robert Klemko of USA Today</a>.</p>
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"We're gonna' keep him," Teague said. "We just have to be proactive about it." </p>
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<p>Smart makes a base salary of $350,000 this season, with a $500,000 bonus for VCU's NCAA Tournament run. But he could earn up to a $2 million per year base salary at a bigger school.</p>
<p>Teague said the school has already begun talking internally about how it can keep Smart, and will continue those conversations with Smart more vigorously once the season ends.</p>
https://dc.sbnation.com/2011/3/28/2332309/vcu-hopes-to-keep-shaka-smart-as-its-head-coachMike Prada