Shaka Smart

Shaka Dingani Smart (born April 8, 1977) is an American men's college basketball coach and former player. He currently is the head coach at the University of Texas.

Playing career

In high school, Smart was a three-year starter for Oregon High School in Wisconsin. He was a second-team All-Badger Conference pick as a senior and by the end of his career was the all-time assists leader at Oregon for a career (458), season (201) and single game (20).

After graduating from high school, Smart attended Kenyon College, a liberal arts school in Ohio. On the ESPN program Pardon the Interruption, Smart credited his personal relationship with then head coach Bill Brown as the reason for his decision. As a member of the Kenyon College basketball team, he was an all-conference selection as a senior and is the school's career assists leader (542). Smart was named a member of the 1999 USA TODAY All-USA Academic Team.

Coaching career

Assistant coach

Smart began his coaching career in 1999 as an assistant at California University of Pennsylvania, where he also earned a Master's Degree. Afterwards, he was hired as Director of Basketball Operations at the University of Dayton. He was then an assistant at the University of Akron for three years, Clemson for two, and Florida for one.

Shaka

Shaka kaSenzangakhona (circa 1787 – 22 September 1828), also known as Shaka Zulu (Zulu pronunciation: [ˈʃaːɠa]), was one of the most influential monarchs of the Zulu Kingdom.

He was born near present-day Melmoth, KwaZulu-Natal Province. According to tradition, Shaka was conceived during an act of what began as ukuhlobonga, a form of sexual foreplay without penetration allowed to unmarried couples, also known as "the fun of the roads" (ama hlay endlela), during which the lovers were "carried away".

Due to persecution as a result of his illegitimacy, Shaka spent his childhood in his mother's settlements. He is recorded as having been initiated there and inducted into an ibutho lempi (fighting unit). In his early days, Shaka served as a warrior under the sway of Dingiswayo, chieftain of the Mthethwa, to whom the Zulu were then paying tribute.

Dingiswayo called up the emDlatsheni iNtanga (age-group), of which Shaka was part, and incorporated it into the Izichwe regiment. Shaka served as a Mthethwa warrior for perhaps as long as ten years, and distinguished himself with his courage and his adept skill as a close combat warrior. This skill gained the attention of Dingiswayo, who became even more interested in Shaka when he discovered Shaka's royal bloodline. He honoured Shaka by making him commander of a regiment or ibutho.