Former Minnesota Gophers’ men’s basketball coach Tubby Smith will receive the 2016 John R. Wooden “Legends of Coaching” award.
Smith, now the head coach at Texas Tech, was announced as the award winner Tuesday at the Los Angeles Athletic Club’s annual Wooden Award Tipoff Luncheon.
The honor recognizes coaches who exemplify Coach Wooden’s high standards of coaching success and personal integrity.
Recipients are chosen based on character, success on the court and graduation rates of student-athletes in their basketball program.
Tubby Smith is not just a legend of coaching he is a legend as a human being. You won't find a better person.
— Seth Greenberg (@SethOnHoops) October 14, 2015
Smith is the 18th coach to win the award.
John R. Wooden Award Legends of Coaching Honorees
- 1999 – Dean Smith, North Carolina
- 2000 – Mike Krzyzewski, Duke
- 2001 – Lute Olson, Arizona
- 2002 – Denny Crum, Louisville
- 2003 – Roy Williams, Kansas
- 2004 – Mike Montgomery, Stanford
- 2005 – Jim Calhoun, Connecticut
- 2006 – Jim Boeheim, Syracuse
- 2007 – Gene Keady, Purdue
- 2008 – Pat Summitt, Tennessee
- 2009 – Rick Barnes, Texas
- 2010 – Billy Donovan, Florida
- 2011 – Tom Izzo, Michigan State
- 2012 – Geno Auriemma, Connecticut
- 2013 – Bill Self, Kansas
- 2014 – Tara VanDerveer, Stanford
- 2015 – Steve Fischer, San Diego State
- 2016 – Tubby Smith, Texas Tech
Smith has amassed a 538-263 career record over his 24-year head coaching career at Tulsa, Georgia, Kentucky, Minnesota and Texas Tech.
He won a National Championship in 1998 with the Wildcats, and led his team to four NCAA Elite Eight appearances, nine NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 trips and 19 20-plus win seasons.
Smith is also just one of seven active coaches with more than 500 career victories and a national championship.
Smith coached the Gophers from 2007-2013, and led the team to three NCAA Tournament appearances.
