Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) boys basketball coach Steve Smith
announced Tuesday his plans to retire after this season.
And while the
66-year-old has left his mark on the game, Oak
Hill Academy President Michael D. Groves said Smith will be remembered for many personal characteristics beyond the court.
"(His)
passion for the game of basketball is surpassed only by his for his
family and his loyalty to his players, to his assistant coaches and to
the Oak Hill Academy," Groves said is a release. "People of abiding commitment to faith and family,
Steve and his wife Lisa served as surrogate parents for generations of
students enrolled at our small boarding school in Mouth of Wilson,
Virginia."
Steve Smith, Oak Hill Academy
File photo by Randy Sartin
By the numbers, here is what many will recall about Smith's nearly four decades on the job:
1 — Seasons finishing outside national top 25 final rankings (1987-88)
5 — Oak Hill's all-time starting five
alumni team:
Carmelo Anthony, Stephen Jackson, Rajon Rondo, Jerry Stackhouse and Rod
Strickland. Kevin Durant played one season at OHA (2004-05) but graduated from Montrose Christian (Rockville, Md).
7 — Most losses in one season (1987-88, current)
8 — National championships
8 — Seasons finished No. 2 in national rankings
26 — 30+ win seasons (eight 40+)
31 — Most assists in one game by one of his players, Rondo, 2003-04 (national record is 35)
34 — McDonald's All-Americans coached
35 — Players coached who were drafted into the NBA
35 — Most points Anthony scored in game
37 — Number of seasons as head coach at Oak Hill Academy
47 — Most wins in a season, 47-1 (2014-15)
55 — Most points Rondo scored in game
63 — Most points by one of his players in game, Brandon Jennings (2007-08)
65 — Longest win streak, from 2000-2002
66 — Age of retirement
98 — Number of losses (2.6 per season)
250-plus — Players sent to Division I programs
1,225
— As of Tuesday, victories in his career, most by any
active boys coach and surpassed only by Robert Hughes of Dunbar (Fort Worth, Texas) at 1,333 and
Morgan Wootten of DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md) at 1,274
1,312 — Most points by one of his players in season (Jennings, 2007-08, 35.5 average)
81,167 — Amount of career NBA points from Anthony, Jackson, Rondo, Stackhouse and Strickland, most of any five alumni from a single high school
Steve Smith (far left) with his 2011-2012 team that had just defeated Julius Randle and Prestonwood Christan at the Spalding Hoophall Classic. This was Smith's last unbeaten team that also won the MaxPreps National Championship.
File photo by Lonnie Webb