The hits just keep coming for the Duke men’s basketball program.
Two days ago, the Blue Devils fell at the hands of the North Carolina Tar Heels in the Final Four. It was a bitter end to Coach K’s incredible coaching career. However, it’s not the only hit Duke has taken recently.
Nolan Smith, a key assistant coach for the Duke men’s basketball program, is reportedly leaving the school. To make matters worse he’s joining another prominent ACC program.
Smith is heading to Louisville to join Kenny Payne’s new staff. The Blue Devils lost, as Jeff Goodman puts it, one of the “rising stars” in the college coaching industry.
BREAKING: Duke assistant Nolan Smith is headed to Louisville to join Kenny Payne on staff, source told @Stadium.
Smith’s father starred at Louisville and the Cards broke the bank to get Nolan — one of the rising stars in the industry.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) April 4, 2022
This is yet another significant loss for the Duke Blue Devils. First it was at the hands of UNC, and now the Blue Devils have a key staff member to replace.
Not much else could go wrong for Duke men’s basketball right now.
“So we lose a heartbreaker game to our rival in the Final Four while Coach K retires & we lose Nolan Smith all within days. #DukeNation is being tested in the worst possible way!”
So we lose a heartbreaker game to our rival in the Final Four while Coach K retires & we lose Nolan Smith all within days. #DukeNation is being tested in the worst possible way! 😩😭💔 https://t.co/thDVNR3mqK
— Amy Murray (@VTDukefan) April 4, 2022
“Wow this is very surprising. Nolan will get a head gig within 2-3 years.”
Wow this is very surprising. Nolan will get a head gig within 2-3 years. https://t.co/Mszl9Kv4yY
— Dub Jellison 🅿️odcast (@TeamDJP) April 4, 2022
A big congrats to Nolan. A great coach and a better guy. He’ll be great at UL.
A big congrats to Nolan. A great coach and a better guy. He’ll be great at UL. https://t.co/qEDw7LO6Fh
— David Thompson (@daveth89) April 4, 2022
Duke just can’t avoid all the roadblocks lately. It’s going to be a long offseason for the Blue Devils.
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