Steve Smith of
Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.), high school basketball's active coaching wins leader, announced Tuesday morning via Twitter that he will retire following the 2021-22 season.
The affable 66-year-old has helped 35 players reach the NBA, including Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony and Rajon Rondo. In 37 seasons at Oak Hill Academy, Smith has won 1,225 games – third all-time behind Robert Hughes of Dunbar (Fort Worth, Texas) at 1,333 and Morgan Wootten of DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md) at 1,274.
Smith will likely tack on several more wins to his current total at the helm of the No. 8 team in the
National Top 20. He's lost only 98 games in nearly four decades on the sideline but Smith told MaxPreps on Monday that he's ready to focus on other facets of his life.
On Smith's watch, Oak Hill Academy has produced 34 McDonald's All-Americans and 35 NBA Draft picks while sending nearly 300 players to Division I programs.
He'll finish up his illustrious career March 31-April 2 in Fort Myers, Fla., at GEICO Nationals. Although Smith will not be involved in the search
for his replacement, he hopes the position will be filled by a
current or former assistant coach.
"I still love the game and enjoy coaching, but I just
feel like its time to step away," Smith told MaxPreps. "I'm excited to spend more time with my two grandkids, relax and play
some more golf.
"I have been fortunate enough to have a
great career here at Oak Hill Academy and coach a lot of great players
and teams over the years."
That's an understatement.
Oak Hill Academy head coach Steve Smith on the sidelines at the Metro Classic in 2022.
Photo by Catalina Fragoso
According to the Oak Hill Academy website, at least one media outlet has placed the
Warriors among the national top 25 in all but one season since Smith took over in 1985. His teams have won eight national championships, finished second eight times and piled up a 65-game win streak in the early 2000s.
His personal resume includes four USA Today and three Naismith Coach of the Year honors.
Smith coached a pair of Naismith Player of the Year award winners, Ron Mercer (1995)
and Brandon Jennings (2008). Among his other notable players: Jerry Stackhouse, Josh Smith, Rod
Strickland, Stephen Jackson, Keldon Johnson and Cole Anthony.
When asked to give a list of his top five players or top five teams, he demurred: "I
have been blessed with so much talent over the years that it is
impossible for me to pick. It's funny, because when I tell someone who
my two Naismith Player of the Year winners were (Mercer and Jennings) and people always tell me that I have had better players over the years."
Smith took over the program at 28 and even though he was a basketball lifer, and that he won almost immediately, it took time to adapt.
"I was pretty lucky, because my first two years I had McDonald's All-Americans on my roster (Chris Brooks in 1986 and Brian Shorter in 1987)," he said. "We went 25-1 both seasons. They made me look like I was a good coach. The truth is, I don't think I really knew what I was doing back then. But I feel like I have learned a lot over the years and became a much better coach."
With Smith running the ship, Oak Hill Academy has sustained excellence for parts of five decades. It was the first national independent power, setting the standard for current juggernauts like IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.), Montverde Academy (Fla.) and Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.).
In that regard, Smith was a trailblazer.
"I had multiple opportunities to be a Division I head coach but I am happy that I stayed here and was able to develop the relationships," he said. "I lived on campus about 30 feet from the basketball gym for 21 years and now I live in a house that was built four miles from campus so that I have easy access to the gym 24/7.
"I loved the family atmosphere here at Oak Hill Academy. It is a boarding school so you really get a chance to develop relationships."
He's witnessed and developed those relationships around the game since he was a child. His dad, Winston Smith, coached at four small college programs in Ohio, Indiana and California.
"I bounced around a little bit, but I grew up
around the game," he said. "It was my first love. I was the water boy for my dad
since third grade and I learned a lot from him."
From those humble beginnings, Smith will end up at the top of his craft — no matter what happens at GEICO Nationals. He's not counting out his Warriors (26-7) and he never has. Smith has never lacked confidence.
"This season has been memorable," he said. "We started 0-3 in conference play after only practicing two times following Thanksgiving break. I feel like we have really grown and come together. We have won 12 straight games and beat four quality opponents last week. I think we have a real chance at the end."
Steve Smith is looking forward to spending time with his grandchildren and on the golf course after 38 highly successful seasons leading Oak Hill Academy's boys basketball team.
File Photo by Randy Sartin
