Nolan Smith facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Nolan Smith

Smith with the Duke Blue Devils in 2011
Tennessee State Tigers
Head coach
Personal information
Born	(1988-07-25) July 25, 1988 (age 37) Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.
High school	St. John's College HS (Washington, D.C.) Riverdale Baptist School (Upper Marlboro, Maryland) Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Virginia)
Listed height	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Listed weight	185 lb (84 kg)
Career information
College	Duke (2007–2011)
NBA Draft	2011 / Round: 1 / Pick: 21st overall
Selected by the Portland Trail Blazers
Pro career	2011–2015
Coaching career	2016–present
League	Ohio Valley Conference
Career history
As player:
2011–2013	Portland Trail Blazers
2013	→Idaho Stampede
2013–2014	Cedevita Zagreb
2014	Galatasaray
2014–2015	Delaware 87ers
As coach:
2016–2022	Duke (assistant)
2022–2024	Louisville (assistant)
2024–2025	Memphis (assistant)
2025–present	Tennessee State
Career highlights and awards
Croatian League champion (2014) Croatian Cup champion (2014) Croatian League All-Star (2014) NCAA champion (2010) Consensus first-team All-American (2011) ACC Player of the Year (2011) First-team All-ACC (2011) Second-team All-ACC (2010) ACC All-Defensive Team (2011) McDonald's All-American (2007) First-team Parade All-American (2007)

Nolan Derek Smith (born July 25, 1988) is an American former professional basketball player. He is currently the head coach for Tennessee State. Nolan played college basketball for Duke University. After college, he was chosen 21st overall by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2011 NBA draft.

As a junior at Duke, Nolan was a starting shooting guard for the team that won the national championship in 2010. In his senior year, he was recognized as a top college player, earning the title of ACC Player of the Year.

Early Life and Basketball Beginnings

Nolan Smith grew up around basketball. His father, Derek Smith, was a former NBA player. When Nolan was a child, his dad became an assistant coach for the Washington Bullets in 1994. Nolan often went to their practices.

After his father passed away in 1996, the Bullets invited Nolan to many of their home games. This helped him stay connected to the sport he loved.

High School Basketball Journey

Nolan started playing varsity basketball in eighth grade at The Key School in Annapolis, Maryland. In 2003, he moved to St. John's College High School in Washington, D.C. There, he averaged 10.6 points per game as a freshman.

For his sophomore year (2004-2005), Nolan attended Riverdale Baptist School in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. He led Riverdale to an amazing 33-1 record, averaging 16 points per game.

Nolan spent his junior and senior years at Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Virginia. He was a team captain for two years. He played alongside future NBA stars like Michael Beasley and Ty Lawson. In 2006, he helped Oak Hill achieve a 40-1 record.

As a senior in 2007, Nolan averaged 22.1 points per game. He led his team to another 40-1 record, making Oak Hill the top-ranked team nationally. He was named a Parade All-American and a McDonald's All-American.

College Career at Duke

Freshman Year Highlights

Nolan joined Duke University in 2007. As a freshman, he played in all 34 games. He scored in double figures six times, including a season-high 21 points against Wake Forest.

Sophomore Year Progress

In his sophomore year (2008-2009), Nolan played in 34 games, starting 21 of them. He averaged 8.4 points per game. He scored 16 points, his season high, against Michigan.

Junior Year and a Championship

As a junior in 2009-2010, Nolan started 38 games. He averaged 17.4 points per game. He was a key player, leading the Blue Devils in field goals made. He also finished second in assists and steals.

On March 28, 2010, Nolan scored a career-high 29 points in a game where Duke beat Baylor. This win sent Duke to the Final Four. Nolan, along with teammates Jon Scheyer and Kyle Singler, each scored over 600 points that season. This was only the second time in Duke's history that three players achieved this.

Nolan helped lead Duke to win the NCAA championship. He was named to the NCAA All-Final Four team for his great performance.

Senior Year Success

In his senior year (2010-2011), Nolan started 37 games. He averaged 20.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game. He was named the ACC Player of the Year. He was the 11th Duke player to lead the league in scoring.

Nolan was also named to the first-team All-ACC and ACC All-Defensive team. He led Duke to a 32-5 record and their third straight ACC championship. On February 9, 2011, he scored a career-high 34 points against North Carolina.

Nolan was a team captain in 2010-2011. He was known for his passion and energy. He became one of only nine players under coach Mike Krzyzewski to average over 20 points per game. His 764 total points that season were the ninth highest single-season total for a Duke player.

College Statistics

Professional Basketball Career

Playing for the Portland Trail Blazers

Smith (right) with teammate Damian Lillard in 2013

The Portland Trail Blazers chose Nolan Smith as the 21st pick in the 2011 NBA draft. He signed his first professional contract with them in December 2011. As a rookie, he played 44 games and averaged 3.8 points per game.

In July 2012, Nolan joined the Trail Blazers for the NBA Summer League. He had to leave early after getting hit in the head during a game. He was taken to the hospital but was released later that day.

In January 2013, Nolan was sent to the Idaho Stampede in the NBA Development League for a short time. He played well there, averaging 22.5 points per game. He then returned to the Trail Blazers.

Playing in Europe

In August 2013, Nolan signed a one-year contract with Cedevita Zagreb in Croatia. He became well-known in the country for hitting a game-winning shot with only 0.6 seconds left in a big tournament. This shot helped his team qualify for the 2014–15 Euroleague, a major European basketball competition.

In July 2014, Nolan played for the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Summer League. Later, in August 2014, he signed with Galatasaray Liv Hospital in Turkey. He left the team in October 2014.

Back in the Development League

In November 2014, Nolan joined the Delaware 87ers in the NBA Development League. He played for them until January 2015.

Coaching Career

After his playing career, Nolan Smith became a coach. In February 2016, he joined the Duke Blue Devils coaching staff under head coach Mike Krzyzewski. He spent two years as a special assistant and three years helping with basketball operations and player development. In 2021, he became an assistant coach for Duke.

During his six years on Duke's coaching staff, the team won 159 out of 206 games. In 2022, the team reached the Final Four. Nolan helped coach 25 players who later went on to play in the NBA.

After the 2021-2022 season, Nolan left Duke to become an assistant coach for the Louisville Cardinals. The head coach, Kenny Payne, knew Nolan's father, who had played for Louisville's championship team in 1980.

Louisville's team struggled during the next two years, winning only 12 out of 64 games. The entire coaching staff was let go after the 2023-2024 season.

In September 2024, Nolan was hired as an assistant coach at Memphis. In July 2025, Nolan Smith was hired as the head coach at Tennessee State.

Career Statistics

NBA Regular Season

Euroleague

Personal Life

Nolan Smith is the son of Monica Smith and the late Derek Smith. He has an older sister named Sydney. His father played basketball at Louisville and was part of the 1980 NCAA championship team. His father then played nine years in the NBA. Sadly, Derek passed away from a heart attack at age 34 while on a cruise with his family.

Nolan has a tattoo on his right arm that shows his father's face and the words: "Forever Watching." He grew up with Michael Beasley and they are still friends. Nolan started co-hosting a podcast called "Power Check Ball" in 2021.

Nolan is married to Cheyna Elliott. They got married in 2017 and have two children, Camryn and Derek "Deuce."

In November 2020, Nolan appeared in a video for VoteRiders, an organization that helps voters. He encouraged people who needed help with their ballots to contact their helpline.

See also

In Spanish: Nolan Smith para niños

• 2009–10 Duke Blue Devils men's basketball team
• List of second-generation NBA players