About

Nolan Smith was a member of the Duke University Men’s Basketball staff as an  Assistant Coach under the legendary Coach Mike Krzyzewski. In April 2022, he left Duke University to join Coach Kenny Payne as an assistant coach at the University of Louisville.

Nolan served as an assistant coach at Duke and worked as a director of basketball operations and player development for three seasons. The various roles he held during his time at Duke allowed him to possess the rare ability to understand both the strategic and logistical aspects of a college basketball program, as well as player development and on-court coaching, under one of the greatest coaches of all time.

Nolan also had an exceptional playing career. He was a consensus first-team All-American and ACC Player of the Year in 2011. Smith helped lead Duke to three consecutive ACC championships (2009-11) and the 2010 NCAA title in his four seasons (2007-11). The two-time All-ACC selection (2010-11) led the ACC in scoring as a senior (20.6 points per game) when he was team captain and the 2011 ACC Tournament MVP. His 764 points that year are the ninth-highest total in program history.

Nolan played a crucial role in Duke winning the 2010 NCAA Championship, earning Most Outstanding Player honors at the NCAA South Regional in Houston and All-Final Four Team accolades in Indianapolis. He ranks 17th on Duke’s career scoring chart with 1,911 points as Duke posted a combined 121-22 record, the fifth-most victories for a player at Duke, and sixth in ACC history. Duke had a collective 65-2 record (.970) at Cameron Indoor Stadium in his career, setting program records for both home wins and winning percentage in a four-year period.

Nolan also won an international gold medal with USA Basketball at the 2006 FIBA Americas U18 Championship, averaging 9.0 points and 3.5 assists per game.

Following his graduation from Duke University, Nolan was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers as the 21st overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft. He played four seasons in professional basketball in the NBA, G-League, and abroad.

In addition to being a standout leader on the court, he also has a commitment to service and activism. In the summer of 2016, Nolan was named the North Carolina state ambassador for Teen Cancer America, an organization designed to help bridge the gap between pediatric and adult oncology care. Besides his work with TCA, Nolan has invested time in raising awareness of social justice issues and was named a George H.W. Bush Points of Light Inspiration honoree in 2020. He was also recognized as the Tar Heel of the Month in October 2020 by the Raleigh News & Observer, awarded to a citizen who has made significant contributions to North Carolina and the region.

Nolan and his wife, Cheyna, have a young daughter, Camryn, and a young son, Derek.