Michigan Basketball: Examining 5 potential fits for head coach

Shaka Smart

One name that is undoubtedly getting more and more buzz is that of Texas head coach Shaka Smart ($).

Before he left VCU for Texas, Smart was one of the hottest names in all of college basketball but after two NCAA tournaments in four years in Austin, his star has dimmed a bit. The Longhorns won the NIT last season, but overall, despite getting some big-time recruits, they haven’t met expectations.

Smart is known for his team’s defensive pressure and that would certainly be a change from what Michigan does. He also isn’t known as an offensive guru, but the guy can recruit and that might be the strongest attribute he brings to the job.

)Note: Here is a tweet from Michael Spath that says Texas may be willing to negotiate Smart’s buyout)

The other positive thing about Smart is that after coaching at Texas, he will know what it’s like to coach as a school where football is always going to be first. And even though some expect Michigan to shell out huge money for this coach, it might not be as much as you think.

That means potentially taking a shot on Smart and hoping he can do more at Michigan, which is much closer to being a college basketball elite than Texas. Like Howard, Smart is a risk-reward hire.

But unless the Wolverines are able to land Billy Donovan, Brad Stevens, Jay Wright, Tony Bennett or even Florida’s Mike White, there will be some risk involved, regardless of the candidate.