Michigan Basketball: 5 realistic options for Wolverines next head coach

Shaka Smart

One name that keeps popping up is that of Shaka Smart, the Texas head coach that just missed out on the NCAA tournament with the Longhorns this past season.

Smart has won only 51 percent of his games at Texas but that also includes a painful 11-22 season in his second year. He also led Texas to a pair of 20-win seasons as well as two trips to the NCAA tournament.

On top of that, Smart coached VCU to five NCAA tournament appearances and two conference tournament titles, as well as a trip to the Final Four. He’s another guy that has won at two places, which makes me worry less about his transition over to another program.

Smart is also a proven recruiter and has some innovative ideas, especially when it comes to defense and style of play. He would be an interesting hire and he would be a good fit after going to a football-first school like Texas. His buyout, which UCLA balked at paying, may cause Michigan to look elsewhere. But if not, he could very well be the guy.