re: Hey Longhorns, why did Chaka Smart not work at Texas?

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It’s the biggest head scratcher. Smart is an excellent coach with a winning style.

As another poster said he just didn’t recruit for that style at Texas and didn’t implement it.

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Better players should have made his system better, and it didn't.

Texas can pull in high end 1-and-done players, and they do well in the NBA. But maximizing the talent and building a strong balanced team never seemed to happen.

He always seemed to be more comfortable on the floor than in front of the camera, and perhaps the off-court issues bled into the on-court performance.

Repeatedly getting smoked in the first round would tend to make anyone uncomfortable in front of a camera.

I liked Rick Barnes, and he had similar issues; much more overall success, but could never get over the hump.

Basketball is different. An off the radar 6 man can come in off the bench and light it up and change the game. And the next thing you know, you lost.