Interesting article about new RGV coach Nevada Smith

NotChandlerParsons · Nov 10, 2013

http://triblive.com/sports/otherlocal/5013161-74/smith-coach-nba#axzz2kJAOnbGK

When he was the head coach at cross-state Keystone College, Nevada Smith spent countless hours out on the recruiting trail trying to find players willing to make a commitment to play Division III basketball.

It wasn't a glamorous deal scouring the state for second- or third-tier talent and often times coming up empty. The glamour part, apparently, was simply waiting for the right time to jump out, like guests at a surprise party.

Throughout the two years that he spent in La Plume at Keystone, Smith never felt the eyes watching him. He didn't realize that he also was being recruited.

That became evident when the Houston Rockets called him out of the blue and later offered him the head-coaching job of the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, their NBA Developmental League affiliate.

Suddenly, Nevada was Texas-bound.

“It's been unbelievable, my head's spinning because it's been such a crazy-quick turnaround,” said Smith, a Kiski Area graduate and West Leechburg native. “I was five practices in at Keystone when I got a message from the Rockets' staff asking if I had interest in the job. I did a phone interview and flew down to Houston.”

The last month has been quicker than an NBA fast-break for the 33-year-old Smith, who had to abruptly cut ties with his players.

“That was the hardest 10 minutes of my life,” he said. “I had a 24-year-old player tearing up. It got pretty emotional. I put so much into that program.”

Smith has bounced around coaching jobs since leaving Bethany College in 2002. But he seems to have found success wherever he's gone.

Houston saw that, pointing to Smith on its radar screen and making him their surprise choice to replace Nick Nurse, who left to become an assistant with the Toronto Raptors.

In 10 days' time, Smith's life changed, his coaching image bolstered to new heights.

“We look for great guys with great basketball minds and high upside,” Vipers General Manager Gianluca Pascucci told The Monitor. “Nevada is young, but he has experience. Right now, there are NBA coaches coming from small schools. It's just a matter of the right opportunity.”

Smith immediately was introduced to Rockets' personnel, including head coach Kevin McHale. He admits to sweating bullets, but his nerves didn't cause any problems, like accidently parking in Dwight Howard's spot.

“I didn't even have a car; I stayed in a (nearby) hotel and walked to the interview,” he said.

Prior to Keystone, Smith spent five seasons as an assistant at Ithaca College, where he went 96-40, won three Empire 8 regular season titles and made two NCAA Tournament berths.

He also was an assistant at Allegheny College and also had successful coaching stops at Canton and St. Lawrence, where he received his Master's degree.

“You hope that even though you're at a small school that someone notices what you're doing,” Smith said. “This type of jump is something I never even remotely envisioned.”

Smith is making a similar cold-turkey transition to former Butler coach Brad Stevens, now the rookie head coach of the Boston Celtics.

“As a player and a coach, the one thing I never lacked was confidence,” Smith said. “We'll believe in what we do. One thing about this situation is that the worst guy on the team will be the best guy I've ever coached.”

Smith is a players' coach who has faith that his personnel will handle his system.

“Terminology is one of the big things for me,” he said. “I am not a big screamer.

“I want to get my feet wet. The rules are different and timeouts and fouls are different. I have always been an NBA guy. I'd always watch the NBA instead of college.”

When he was a player, Smith was a deadeye 3-point shooter, taking his skills to Bethany College, where he scored 1,255 career points. He led Division III in 3-pointers made in 2001 and he ranks 13th all-time among Division III players in 3-point makes with 313.

If the Vipers were a half-court team before, things are about to change. Smith is bringing in a zero-to-100 philosophy.

“The basketball side will be the pure side,” Smith said. “We'll push the offense, shoot a ton of 3s and attack all the time.”

The Vipers, who won the D-League title a year ago, open the season Nov. 23 at Los Angeles.
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What really impresses me is the depth of the scouting by the Rockets. They're monitoring Div. 3 freakin' basketball. I feel sorry for the scout who had to watch those but dang.

don grahamleone · Dec 2, 2013

Feel sorry for them? You must not love watching basketball. I could watch, almost all day. Last night I watched the Atlanta game, Nets game and the Spurs. Basketball is a way of life!

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Interesting article about new RGV coach Nevada Smith

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