Report: Nolan Smith to Leave Duke Staff for Assistant Job at Louisville

Duke assistant Nolan Smith informed the staff that he will not be continuing in his current role on Jon Scheyer’s staff and will instead take a position at Louisville as the top assistant on Kenny Payne’s staff, per Mark Spears of Andscape.

A separate report from Jeff Goodman of Stadium said the Cardinals “broke the bank” to land Smith, who is considered a rising star in the coaching industry.

Smith starred as Duke’s point guard from 2007 to ’11, guiding the Blue Devils to a national championship his junior season in Durham. After serving in various roles for Coach K’s staff at Duke since ’16, Smith was promoted to assistant coach last April. 

After one season as a formal assistant on Coach K’s staff, he now departs for his late father Derek Smith’s alma mater. The elder Smith starred with the Cardinals from 1979 to ’82, leading the school to an NCAA championship over UCLA in ’80.

Considering the Smith family’s ties to Louisville, as well as the promotion and significant pay raise, it’s understandable why Smith is jumping from his alma mater to his father’s. 

His new role as Louisville’s associate head coach places him one step closer to running a program of his own as a head coach in the future.