Mar 24, 2013; Austin, TX, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers head coach Tubby Smith reacts during the second half in the third round against the Florida Gators of the 2013 NCAA tournament at Frank Erwin Center. Florida won 78-64. Mandatory Credit: Jim Cowsert-USA TODAY Sports
Like Rick Pitino, former Gophers coach Tubby Smith may soon be the proud father of a Division I head coach.
No, we’re not talking about Saul Smith — the former assistant to his father most Minnesota fans are familiar with. The next Smith to be a head coach could possibly be G.G. Smith, the eldest of Tubby’s three sons.
G.G. Smith, the current assistant head coach of the Loyola University Greyhounds, is one of two finalists vying for the head coaching job of the small Jesuit school in Maryland.
The Greyhounds are looking to replace Jimmy Patsos, who took another head coaching job at Siena College of upstate New York.
Smith and Villanova assistant Raphael Chillious were named the two finalists for the position with the final announcement scheduled for 2:30 p.m. on Friday. An Atlanta based firm was used in the search process, according to the Baltimore Sun.
G.G. Smith is a 1999 graduate of the University of Georgia where he played for his father in his first two seasons, appearing in the NCAA Tournament both years — including a Sweet 16 appearance in Smith’s freshman year.
His father took the head coaching job at Kentucky in his junior year and G.G. watched as Tubby lead the Wildcats to a national championship in 1998.
As Tubby Smith takes the reigns at Texas Tech, rumor has that Tubby will not be bringing his son, Saul, to the Red Raiders with him next season. With this, only G.G. currently has a coaching job in college basketball.
Smith’s youngest son, Brian Smith, is an assistant athletic director and basketball coach of a private school in Arizona.
While the Smith family’s basketball lineage is not as well-known, it certainly begs to question what holidays are like in the Smith household. Given the youth of the three sons, it shouldn’t surprise anyone if all three land college coaching gigs in the near future.
Best of luck to the Smith household and to the proud parents, Tubby and Donna Smith.
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