Tubby Smith

Orlando "Tubby" Smith (born June 30, 1951 in Scotland , Maryland) has been the head basketball coach at the University of Kentucky since 1997. He previously served as head coach at the University of Tulsa and the University of Georgia.

Coach Smith graduated in 1973 from High Point (N.C.) College. He coached a two High Schools before serving as an assistant coach at Virginia Commonwealth University, the University of South Carolina, and the University of Kentucky under then Head Coach Rick Pitino.

From 1991 to 1995, Smith led Tulsa to a 79-43 record. Rebuilding the basketball program his first two years, he then led the team to two consecutive Missouri Valley Conference regular season titles and two appearences in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament in 1994 an 1995. At Georgia, he led the Bulldogs to a 45-19 record in his two years from 1995 to 1997. His teams achieved a Sweet 16 finish in 1996 and lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament in 1997.

In his first season at UK, he coached the Wildcats to their seventh NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship. He is currently ranked sixth among active coaches in winning percentage and he has led teams to 11-straight 20-win seasons. As of the end of the 2004-2005 season, his record as UK Head Coach was 219-58 and 343-120 career. Smith is the first African American to coach the Kentucky men's basketball program.

Coach Smith was the recipient of the Jim Phelan National Coach of the Year Award for 2005.

External links

• Tubby Smith's bio at UK Athletic Site
• University of Kentucky Coaching Record at unofficial Fan Site