Former UK basketball head coach Tubby Smith named to National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame
(ABC 36 NEWS NOW) – Former Kentucky Wildcats head coach Orlando “Tubby” Smith has been named to the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2026, University of Kentucky Athletics announced.
Smith coached Kentucky to its seventh national championship in his inaugural season in 1998, winning 35 games on his way to the title. He led the Wildcats to 22 or more victories in all 10 of his seasons at the helm from 1998 to 2007, winning five Southeastern Conference regular season crowns and five SEC Tournament championships.
Further, he finished his tenure at Kentucky with a 263-83 record, leading the program to four Elite Eight appearances and 10 NCAA Tournament berths, UK reported.
Smith’s career record across seven programs stands at 642-370. He is one of only three coaches in NCAA history to lead five different programs to the NCAA Tournament.
“The Class of 2026 represents the very best of college basketball – individuals whose performance, leadership and impact helped shape the game at the highest level,” Kevin Henderson, CEO of the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame, said. “Their legacies will forever be preserved as part of the sport’s rich history.”
Smith is joined in the class by fellow coaches Jay Wright and Ted Owens, BYU standout Danny Ainge, Michigan’s Glen Rice and the late UCLA legend Walt Hazzard.
Among Smith’s other honors are the 2003 Naismith College Coach of the Year, AP College Basketball Coach of the Year, NABC Coach of the Year and USBWA Henry Iba Award. He is also a three-time SEC Coach of the Year, two-time Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year and 2016 Big 12 Coach of the Year.
The Class of 2026 will be formally enshrined during the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame Celebration presented by UMB Private Wealth Management on Oct. 22, 2026, at the College Basketball Experience in Kansas City, Missouri.
