Tubby Smith Honored as a 2026 Naismith Outstanding Contributor to Basketball Award Winner

ATLANTA –  Kentucky Athletics Hall of Famer, Tubby Smith, has been named a recipient of the 2026 Naismith Outstanding Contributor to Basketball Award, honoring his extraordinary and lasting impact on the game, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced on Tuesday.

“I’m grateful for the Naismith Award and honored to be recognized along with Coach VanDerveer and to be included among so many legendary previous awardees,” Smith said. “I feel blessed to have had an incredible career leading, coaching, and teaching great young men at top institutions. I hope that the lessons that I taught will continue to impact them, both on and off the court and throughout their lives.”

Smith was selected alongside Tara VanDerveer from the women’s game, and both coaches will be honored at the 2026 NCAA Final Four.

“The Naismith Award annually recognizes those who have left a meaningful legacy on both athletes and supporters, genuinely representing what basketball stands for,” said Eric Oberman, president of the Atlanta Tipoff Club. “We’re honored to celebrate Tara and Tubby, who devoted themselves to building and elevating the sport. Earning a Werner Ladder Naismith Coach of the Year award is outstanding, but receiving acknowledgment years later for your enduring legacy is truly remarkable.”

Established in 1982, the Naismith Outstanding Contributor to Basketball Award annually celebrates individuals whose extraordinary dedication has created meaningful and enduring benefits for the sport. Award recipients demonstrate strong moral character, unwavering principles, and distinguished conduct while driving significant advancement in basketball’s development and long-term success.

Adolph Rupp (1986) and C.M. Newton (1999) are former honorees of the Outstanding Contributor to Basketball Award with Kentucky ties.

About Tubby Smith:

• As the head coach at High Point, Memphis, Texas Tech, Minnesota, Kentucky, Georgia, and Tulsa, Smith finished his career with a 642-370 record, making him one of the most accomplished coaches in the history of men’s college basketball.
• In 1998, in his first season at Kentucky, Smith led the Wildcats to their seventh NCAA National Championship, becoming only the third coach to win a national title in his first year at a school in the modern era.
• During his 10 seasons at Kentucky, Smith amassed a 263-83 record, leading the Wildcats to five SEC regular-season championships, five SEC Tournament titles, four Elite Eight appearances, and 10 NCAA Tournament berths.
• Smith is one of only three coaches in NCAA history to lead five different programs to the NCAA Division I Tournament (Tulsa, Georgia, Kentucky, Minnesota, and Texas Tech), demonstrating his remarkable ability to build and transform programs.
• Named the Werner Ladder Men’s Naismith Coach of the Year (2003) and six-time conference coach of the year (MVC 1994, 1995; SEC 1998, 2003, 2005; Big 12 2016)
• In 2000, Smith served as an assistant coach for the U.S. Olympic Team that won the gold medal in Sydney, Australia.
• Smith led his teams to 20 postseason appearances as a head coach, including nine Sweet Sixteen and four Elite Eight trips.

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