Tubby Smith resigned as coach of High Point and will be replaced by his son, G.G. Smith, the school announced Wednesday.
Tubby Smith, 70, went 45-68 in nearly four seasons at High Point’s coach. He is best known for winning the 1998 national title at Kentucky.
G.G. Smith, 45, will serve as coach for the rest of this season and the 2022-23 season.
Tubby Smith recently went through a second battle with COVID-19. That was part of the reason he felt the timing was right to step down. The school said that Smith, a High Point alum, will continue at the university in a community engagement role as well as doing fundraising for the athletic department.
“I feel blessed to have had an amazing career leading, coaching and teaching great young men at first-class institutions,” Smith said in a statement. “Working at my alma mater during this stage of my career has been a dream. I’m thrilled that G.G. will be taking over as head coach. He will do a super job.
“Moving forward, (wife) Donna and I will continue the work we have done for over two decades to support and assist the University as proud alums of HPU. HPU will always have a very special place in our hearts as we met and fell in love here at High Point. Our commitment and passion for HPU will never wane and we intend to continue be an integral part of its growth and prosperity well into the future.”
Smith steps down with an overall record of 642-370 over 31 seasons at Tulsa, Georgia, Kentucky, Minnesota, Texas Tech, Memphis and High Point. He took five different schools to the NCAA Tournament.
In addition to going 35-4 in Kentucky’s 1997-98 season title, he guided the Wildcats to three Elite Eight appearances.
High Point, which plays in the Big South, is 11-15 this season and hoping to avoid a third straight losing season.
Panthers athletic director Dan Hauser complimented Smith’s work at the school.
“Tubby Smith is a Hall of Fame head coach and HPU has been fortunate to have his leadership of our men’s basketball program,” Hauser said in a statement. “From Day One with the Panthers, Coach Smith established a first-class program of the utmost character and integrity.
“His passion on the court was unmatched and his enthusiasm to engage with HPU alumni and in the High Point community was amazing to experience. I’m excited to work with G.G. and continue the growth of the basketball program.”
Tubby Smith played for High Point from 1969-73 and was team captain as a senior. He was inducted into the High Point Athletic Hall of Fame in 2016. He also is a member of the Kentucky and Tulsa athletic halls of fame.
G.G. Smith went 56-98 in five seasons at Loyola (Md.) from 2013-18 in his only previous head-coaching stint.
–Field Level Media