Nevada Smith has said Siena was a dream job. The Saints evidently liked hearing that.
Smith was hired Wednesday to take over at Siena, less than two weeks after the 16th-seeded Saints put a serious scare into Duke in the first round of the NCAA tournament. He’s replacing Gerry McNamara, who was at Siena for two seasons and left to become coach at his alma mater of Syracuse.
“My family and I could not be more excited to arrive in the Capital Region and become a part of the Siena community,” Smith said. “I am honored and humbled to be able to lead this program, and build upon the momentum created by Gerry McNamara, his staff, and the great players who have proudly worn the Siena jersey throughout the years.”
Smith is joining the Saints after five seasons on Shaka Smart’s staff at Marquette, which was preceded by time with Texas and as head coach of two G League teams — the Miami Heat-affiliated Sioux Falls Skyforce and the Houston Rockets-affiliated Rio Grande Valley Vipers.
“We were really rooting for this opportunity,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said Wednesday. “He could have been a head coach probably at a different school, different level, the last few years. He has a great, innovative coaching mind and I think his experience with Shaka Smart the last several years has really taken his acumen and understanding of everything at that big-time level to even a different level than what he was before.”
Smith was also around the Heat in various capacities other than G League coach, and has kept in touch with many in the organization.
“I think it’s a great fit,” Spoelstra said. “I think it’s going to be an exciting brand of basketball. Siena fans will love the style of basketball that he coaches and the players will love it as well. Really thrilled for him.”
Smith has also been a head coach at the Division III level and inherits a program that is coming off its seventh appearance in the NCAA tournament and its first since 2010.
“Nevada is a proven winner with a sophisticated basketball mind,” Siena President Chuck Seifert said.
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