Top 15 Players to Play for Head Coach Tubby Smith

NCAA Basketball: Top 15 Players to Play for Tubby Smith

RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 17: Head coach Tubby Smith of the Texas Tech Red Raiders reacts in the second half while taking on the Butler Bulldogs in the first round of the 2016 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at PNC Arena on March 17, 2016 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /

5 of 6

27 Feb 1997: Shea Seals of the University of Tulsa looks on during the Golden Hurricane 128-84 win over Texas Christian University at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum in Fort Worth, Texas. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Dunn /Allsport /

6. Nazr Mohammed

Career stats: 8.7 ppg 5.7 rpg 0.5 apg

After a pair of seasons as a reserve, Mohammed had his best season in route to helping Kentucky win the national title. He averaged 12.0 ppg and 7.2 rpg during the season and scored 18 points in the Final Four win over Stanford. Those performances were good enough for him to leave early for the draft.

While he might not have been one of the best players to play for Smith, his contributions led directly to Smith’s lone title. That causes Mohammed to slide up a bit in the rankings.

5. Dedric Lawson

Career stats: 17.5 ppg 9.6 rpg 2.9 apg

Things did not end well between Dedric along with his brother and Smith at the end of the 2016-17 season. But the older Lawson from a pure talent perspective was one of the best players that Smith has ever had.

He averaged nearly 20 points and 10 rebounds with Memphis a couple of years ago, and should do big things for Kansas next season. It’s a shame things didn’t work out, because these two would’ve been dominated the AAC.

4. Shea Seals

Career stats: 18.5 ppg 6.3 rpg 3.1 apg

One of the best players ever to play for Tulsa, Smith was able to coach the first two years of his career, both resulting in the NCAA Tournament. The 6’5 wing scored nearly 19 ppg in the 1993-94 season while pulling down six rebounds and dishing out four assists.

It was a mutually beneficial relationship for both, as Smith helped developed a Hurricanes legend, while Seals helped launch the career Smith might not have had without his play.

Home/NCAA Basketball News