Hawaii Basketball

In his first truly difficult task as the head coach of the University of Hawaii men’s basketball team, Bob Nash, announced yesterday that he will not renew the contract of 2-year assistant coach and former UH standout, Alika Smith.

Let’s examine the pros and cons:

Pros: Despite his lineage as the son of legendary Kalaheo Coach Pete Smith, Alika is relatively inexperienced when it comes to coaching at the college level. Since graduating from UH, he was an assistant under Jeff Law at the University of Hawaii - Hilo from 2001-2003 and was part of the Manoa staff for the last two years. His departure allows for the hiring of a “seasoned” assistant that could bring added knowledge to the staff or enhance recruiting. We’ll know more when the new coach is hired…

Cons: For a guy that received his first coaching opportunity 25 years ago despite his own inexperience, this was a disappointing move for the new head coach. Alika, much like Nash, was a standout at UH, but unlike Nash, was an all-state performer here in high school and the only true “kama’aina” on the staff. While his age, 31, may appear to be a hinderance, the importance of having a relatable presence on the staff is often invaluable to bridge the communication gap between the older coaches and the college-aged players.