Smart Will Always Be Remembered For 'The Shot'
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Where has the time gone?
Keith Smart wonders that himself nowadays and admitted as much last Thursday, when he stopped in at Warsaw's Chamber of Commerce to promote Kosciusko County Day at an upcoming Fort Wayne Fury game.
Ten years, it's been. Ten years ago Smart launched "The Shot," the baseline jumper that sank Syracuse and gave Indiana University's basketball team the 1987 NCAA title.
This doesn't seem possible, even to the 33-year-old Smart, who is the Fury's new head coach.
"I was talking with some of our young players ... I must be getting old to say that," he said. "Anyway, one of our draft picks said to me, 'I don't want to offend you, but are you the same Keith Smart who hit that shot?'"
Yes, one and the same.
Smart and Larry Easterday, of Warsaw, unveiled Kosciusko County Day at the Dec. 7 Fury home game, scheduled for a 2:05 p.m. start.
Easterday, the project chairman, attended a cancer fund-raiser a few months ago and bumped into Fury owner Jay Leonard. They talked, and that night Leonard declared he would have Kosciusko County represented at a Fury game.
Tickets are $7 each for the Dec. 7 game, and proceeds raised will go to the United Way of Kosciusko County.
While in Warsaw, Smart touched briefly on everything from life in the CBA to the Purdue clothes his 11-month-old son, Andre, has received.
"People send him basketballs and outfits," Smart said. "He even has a few Purdue outfits. They stand out in the laundry."
A lifelong CBA player who had short stints in the NBA, Smart remembers the day his heart was no longer into playing the game of basketball.
"May 11," he said. "I woke up and didn't want to play anymore. I haven't played the game since."
One thing seems for sure: Although he respects Bob Knight, Smart won't borrow his abrasive coaching style. The two remain close - he said Knight's "door is always open" if he ever wanted to return to IU's basketball program. Keith, wife Carol and Andre make their permanent home in Bloomington.
Smart said he feels funny about players calling him "Coach," so he probably won't require them to.
"I want to build a personal relationship with my players," he said. "As a player, I never wanted to be yelled at. It happened anyway.
"I want to be a fan. I worked hard to get these great seats. My personality won't allow me to yell at players. It will allow me to get close to players."
Yes, he talked about Damon.
"Everyone always wants to know, Is Damon Bailey coming back?" he said. "He's not in Europe now, so that's a good thing for us he's not overseas. Right now, he's home waiting for a call from an NBA team."
Fifty CBA players made it to the NBA last year. Smart knows this will be his challenge in the CBA, coping with constant upheaval.
"Our league is a league of changes," he said. "Players go overseas. Players go to the NBA.
"Pay isn't even the question. We don't have the funds to motivate players. The motivation is every kid in the CBA wants to play in the NBA. It's up to me as the coach to keep that focus there and not on what they're making per week.
"Guys start playing great in the CBA, and they wait for the phone call. By Christmas, they don't get the phone call. They get frustrated. They think they have to get to the NBA. Their game goes down.
"It happens a lot."
Smart hopes to continue to have special days like Kosciusko County Day at Fury games.
"The day I joined the team, I made the decision this wouldn't just be Fort Wayne's basketball team, but a basketball team for Fort Wayne and the surrounding area," Smart said. "As long as I'm here, we will lend a hand to assist different groups. I'm a big fan of helping people."
Orders may be taken through Warsaw's Chamber of Commerce either in person or over the phone. Tickets may be picked up at the the chamber office Dec. 2-5. Payments must be made when tickets are picked up. Fans will get chances to win a trip into the Fury locker room and prizes during timeouts.
Those who want more information should call the Chamber of Commerce at either 800-776-6311 or at 267-6311. Orders must be in by Nov. 30. [[In-content Ad]]
Where has the time gone?
Keith Smart wonders that himself nowadays and admitted as much last Thursday, when he stopped in at Warsaw's Chamber of Commerce to promote Kosciusko County Day at an upcoming Fort Wayne Fury game.
Ten years, it's been. Ten years ago Smart launched "The Shot," the baseline jumper that sank Syracuse and gave Indiana University's basketball team the 1987 NCAA title.
This doesn't seem possible, even to the 33-year-old Smart, who is the Fury's new head coach.
"I was talking with some of our young players ... I must be getting old to say that," he said. "Anyway, one of our draft picks said to me, 'I don't want to offend you, but are you the same Keith Smart who hit that shot?'"
Yes, one and the same.
Smart and Larry Easterday, of Warsaw, unveiled Kosciusko County Day at the Dec. 7 Fury home game, scheduled for a 2:05 p.m. start.
Easterday, the project chairman, attended a cancer fund-raiser a few months ago and bumped into Fury owner Jay Leonard. They talked, and that night Leonard declared he would have Kosciusko County represented at a Fury game.
Tickets are $7 each for the Dec. 7 game, and proceeds raised will go to the United Way of Kosciusko County.
While in Warsaw, Smart touched briefly on everything from life in the CBA to the Purdue clothes his 11-month-old son, Andre, has received.
"People send him basketballs and outfits," Smart said. "He even has a few Purdue outfits. They stand out in the laundry."
A lifelong CBA player who had short stints in the NBA, Smart remembers the day his heart was no longer into playing the game of basketball.
"May 11," he said. "I woke up and didn't want to play anymore. I haven't played the game since."
One thing seems for sure: Although he respects Bob Knight, Smart won't borrow his abrasive coaching style. The two remain close - he said Knight's "door is always open" if he ever wanted to return to IU's basketball program. Keith, wife Carol and Andre make their permanent home in Bloomington.
Smart said he feels funny about players calling him "Coach," so he probably won't require them to.
"I want to build a personal relationship with my players," he said. "As a player, I never wanted to be yelled at. It happened anyway.
"I want to be a fan. I worked hard to get these great seats. My personality won't allow me to yell at players. It will allow me to get close to players."
Yes, he talked about Damon.
"Everyone always wants to know, Is Damon Bailey coming back?" he said. "He's not in Europe now, so that's a good thing for us he's not overseas. Right now, he's home waiting for a call from an NBA team."
Fifty CBA players made it to the NBA last year. Smart knows this will be his challenge in the CBA, coping with constant upheaval.
"Our league is a league of changes," he said. "Players go overseas. Players go to the NBA.
"Pay isn't even the question. We don't have the funds to motivate players. The motivation is every kid in the CBA wants to play in the NBA. It's up to me as the coach to keep that focus there and not on what they're making per week.
"Guys start playing great in the CBA, and they wait for the phone call. By Christmas, they don't get the phone call. They get frustrated. They think they have to get to the NBA. Their game goes down.
"It happens a lot."
Smart hopes to continue to have special days like Kosciusko County Day at Fury games.
"The day I joined the team, I made the decision this wouldn't just be Fort Wayne's basketball team, but a basketball team for Fort Wayne and the surrounding area," Smart said. "As long as I'm here, we will lend a hand to assist different groups. I'm a big fan of helping people."
Orders may be taken through Warsaw's Chamber of Commerce either in person or over the phone. Tickets may be picked up at the the chamber office Dec. 2-5. Payments must be made when tickets are picked up. Fans will get chances to win a trip into the Fury locker room and prizes during timeouts.
Those who want more information should call the Chamber of Commerce at either 800-776-6311 or at 267-6311. Orders must be in by Nov. 30. [[In-content Ad]]