4/9/2016 basketball Edit

Smith builds HOF connections at Wooden Awards

Michael DuPont • RedRaiderSports

Staff Writer

Texas Tech coach Tubby Smith joined an elite group after becoming the 18th coach to accept the John R. Wooden Legends of Coaching Award on Friday.

Smith received the postseason recognition after helping guide the Red Raiders to a 19-win season, which included an NCAA Tournament appearance and earned Big 12 Coach of the Year honors as well.

Tubby Smith joined by his wife Donna, and John Wooden's daughter, Nancy, prior to the ceremony.

Previous winners of the award include Dean Smith, Pat Summitt, Mike Krzyzewski and Geno Auriemma, despite their successes Smith is the only award recipient to lead five separate programs to tournament appearances.

“To be one of 17-to-18 people that have been selected for the John R. Wooden Award is something special,” Smith said.

Active coaches and athletes were joined in attendance by many former talents from both the collegiate and professional basketball ranks.

Smith recalled sitting alongside champions of the sport, such as Jerry West and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. But it was another Hall of Fame talent Smith encountered who was eager to assist the Red Raiders in their growth and development moving forward.

“Karl Malone [said], ‘coach, just let me come out and visit with your team,’” Smith revealed during a telephone interview. “He wants to come to Lubbock, so I’m like – ‘yes, Karl,’ and it was just a great night.

Malone was in attendance to witness Iowa State forward Georges Niang receive an award in his name, which is presented to the best power forward in college basketball.

The two-time MVP couldn't help but share with Smith his admiration for another Big 12 program.

“His son plays for LSU in football; his son played against us last year," Smith said. "[Malone] goes, ‘I’m really impressed with Lubbock and Texas Tech, coach, you need to get me out there.'"

Smith is already looking ahead to next season and planting motivational seeds to avoid back-to-back exits in the first round.

“We need to take that next step,” Smith said. “We’ve set the bar and I told our players at the end of the game against Butler: We expect to be playing this entire weekend and into the next weekend next year in the NCAA Tournament.”