FAYETTEVILLE -- Who could have guessed the 1995-96 Florida Beachdogs would produce two NBA head coaches?
Eric Musselman was coach of the Beachdogs -- a CBA team in West Palm Beach, Fla. -- that season, and Keith Smart was one of his players.
Now Musselman and Smart are back together at the University of Arkansas.
Musselman, who has a 45-17 record in two seasons as the Razorbacks coach, announced Wednesday he has hired Smart as an assistant coach.
Previously, Musselman and Smart were head coaches in the NBA for both the Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings. Smart also was head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers -- as was Bill Musselman, Eric's father.
Eric Musselman and Smart worked together with the Warriors during the 2003-04 season when Musselman was the head coach and Smart was an assistant.
Arkansas is the first college job for Smart, 56, but he has 22 years of professional coaching experience, including 19 in the NBA. His most recent job prior to being hired at Arkansas was as a New York Knicks assistant coach during the 2018-19 season.
"What an incredible opportunity for our players to be mentored and coached by Coach Smart," Musselman said in a news release. "His coaching experience is unmatched, being a three-time NBA head coach."
Smart is probably best known for hitting the game-winning shot for Indiana when the Hoosiers beat Syracuse 74-73 in the 1987 NCAA Tournament championship game in New Orleans.
A junior guard, Smart hit an 18-foot baseline jumper with four seconds left and finished with 21 points. He was voted by the media as the Final Four's most outstanding player.
A second-round draft pick by Golden State in 1988, Smart played two games in the NBA with the San Antonio Spurs, then had a nine-year playing career overseas and in the CBA.
"His playing experience includes him hitting one of the most clutch shots in the history of college basketball and playing at the highest level professionally," Musselman said. "Keith is someone I coached and thought so much of his knowledge of the game I hired him at Golden State.
"We are getting an incredible coach. He knows how to develop talent and is an excellent X-and-O coach. Our players are going to love Coach Smart."
Smart is filling the last opening on Musselman's staff and replacing David Patrick, who resigned at Arkansas after one season to become an assistant coach at Oklahoma.
Musselman hired Gus Argenal from Cal State Fullerton last week to replace Corey Williams, an Arkansas assistant the previous two seasons who left for Texas Tech. Argenal previously coached with Musselman at Nevada.
Musselman's assistants are now Smart, Argenal and Clay Moser, who has been with Musselman since his first season at Arkansas. Moser also had worked previously with Musselman in the NBA and CBA.
Musselman and Smart first were together during the 1989-90 season with the CBA's Rapid City Thrillers. Musselman was in his first season as a coach and Smart played for him.
" I am excited to be reunited with Coach Musselman, a person I've known for over 30 years, and to continue my growth as a basketball coach," Smart said in a news release. "I cannot think of a better place than with Coach Musselman and at the University of Arkansas."
Smart, who signed with Indiana after playing at Garden City (Kan.) Community College, said he also was recruited by Arkansas Coach Nolan Richardson.
"By becoming a Razorback, my basketball life is somewhat coming full circle as Coach Richardson recruited me," Smart said. "In addition to playing for and working with Coach Muss, I have kept in close contact with him over the years, sharing ideas and strategies. I know what he is teaching, and I know his expectations."
Smart finished his playing career with the Fort Wayne Fury during the 1996-97 season, then the next three seasons was the team's coach. He began his NBA coaching career for the 2000-01 season as an assistant with the Cavaliers.
KEITH SMART AT A GLANCE
AGE 56 (Born Sept. 21, 1964)
FAMILY Wife Carol, sons Andre and Jared
HOMETOWN Baton Rouge
COLLEGE Garden City (Kan.) Community College and Indiana. Played at Indiana in 1986-87 and 1987-88 seasons. Graduated from Indiana in 1995 with general studies degree.
PLAYING EXPERIENCE
1984-86 Garden City (Kan.) CC
1986-88 Indiana — 1987 NCAA national champion
1988 San Antonio Spurs
1988-90 Rapid City Thrillers
1989 San Miguel Beermen
1989 Worcester Counts
1990 Youngstown Pride
1991 Halifax Windjammers
1993 Bravo de Lara
1994 Cambrais Basket
1995 Trotamundos de Carabobo
1995-96 Florida Beachdogs
1996-97 Fort Wayne Fury
COACHING EXPERIENCE
1997-00 Fort Wayne Fury (head coach)
2000-03 Cleveland Cavaliers (assistant coach)
2003 Cleveland Cavaliers (interim head coach)
2003-10 Golden State Warriors (assistant coach)
2010-11 Golden State Warriors (head coach)
2011 Sacramento Kings (assistant coach)
2011-13 Sacramento Kings (head coach)
2014-16 Miami Heat (assistant coach)
2016-18 Memphis Grizzlies (assistant coach)
2018-19 New York Knicks (assistant coach)
PRO HEAD COACHING RECORD
1997-98 Fort Wayne CBA 31-25
1998-99 Fort Wayne CBA 28-28
1999-00 Fort Wayne CBA 26-30
2002-03 Cleveland* NBA 9-31
2010-11 Golden State NBA 36-46
2011-12 Sacramento NBA 20-39
2012-13 Sacramento NBA 28-54
3-year CBA record 85-83
4-year NBA record 93-170
7-year Pro record 178-253
*interim head coach
SOURCE Arkansas media relations
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