If you followed college hoops in the early 2010s, you remember the "Havoc" era. You remember the yellow and black jerseys of VCU swarming opponents like a hive of angry hornets. You remember Shaka Smart, the young, energetic coach who looked like he could lace up and play 20 minutes of lockdown defense himself.
Fast forward through a rocky tenure at Texas and a homecoming to the Midwest at Marquette. It’s been a wild ride. Honestly, Shaka Smart is one of those figures in basketball where everyone has an opinion, but most of those opinions are stuck in 2011.
People want to know: Is he still the "Havoc" guy? Why did Texas feel so weird? And how did he turn Marquette into a Big East powerhouse basically overnight? Let's get into what’s actually happening with the man leading the Golden Eagles today.
🔗 Read more: Why the 40 Boston Red Sox Roster Spot is the Most Cutthroat Job in Baseball
The Havoc Origin Story (And Why It Changed)
Back at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), Shaka Smart wasn't just a coach; he was a brand. The "Havoc" defense was a full-court, 40-minute nightmare of traps and steals. In 2011, he took a team from the "First Four" to the Final Four.
It was legendary. But here’s the thing—you can’t just run Havoc everywhere. When he got to Texas in 2015, he realized the Big 12 was a different beast. Players were bigger, stronger, and more importantly, the "one-and-done" culture meant he didn't have four years to teach the nuances of a complex press.
He sort of got caught between two worlds. He wanted the pressure, but he also had to manage massive expectations and NBA-bound talent like Jarrett Allen and Mo Bamba. The results? Mixed. A 109-86 record over six seasons isn't "bad," but at a place like Texas, if you aren't winning in March, people get restless. He never won an NCAA tournament game in Austin.
The Marquette Marriage: "Our Way"
When Shaka took the Marquette job in 2021, he did something radical. He stopped trying to win the "recruiting rankings" game.
Most coaches today are obsessed with the transfer portal. They treat it like a free-agent market. Shaka went the other direction. He doubled down on retention and development. At Marquette, he talks about "Our Way"—a philosophy built on three pillars:
- Relationships: Actually knowing the players beyond the jersey.
- Growth: Focusing on getting 1% better every day.
- Victory: The byproduct of the first two.
It sounds like "coach-speak," but the numbers back it up. In the 2022-23 season, Marquette was picked to finish ninth in the Big East. Instead, they won the whole thing. Regular season and the tournament. They finished 29-7.
How? Because he didn't go buy a new team. He developed guys like Tyler Kolek, who went from a George Mason transfer to the Big East Player of the Year. He turned Kam Jones into a scoring machine. He stopped chasing the shiny new thing and started polishing what he already had.
Why Shaka Smart Actually Works Now
If you watch Marquette play today, it isn't the same "Havoc" from VCU. It’s evolved. It’s "Havoc Lite" in the full court, but the half-court offense is what’s actually terrifying. It's fast. It's free-flowing.
"As a younger coach, I was a control freak," Smart admitted in an interview. "If the players have ownership and a say, it's going to work better."
That’s the secret sauce. He shifted from a "do what I say" coach to a "let’s do this together" leader.
The 2024-25 Transition
As of early 2026, we're looking back at a massive transition year. After losing stars like Kolek and Oso Ighodaro, Shaka didn't panic. He didn't hit the portal for five new starters. He trusted Chase Ross and Ben Gold to step up.
His 2024-25 squad finished 23-11, proving that the system is bigger than any one player. They played a grueling schedule, including wins over Purdue and Wisconsin, showing that even when they're "rebuilding," they're dangerous.
Common Misconceptions About Shaka
- "He can't win in the tournament." This was the big knock after Texas. But in 2024, he took Marquette to the Sweet 16, their first trip there in over a decade. The narrative is dead.
- "He only wins with the press." Nope. Marquette’s offensive efficiency has ranked near the top of the country (2nd in KenPom adjusted efficiency at one point). He’s an offensive coach now as much as a defensive one.
- "He's a 'rah-rah' guy without substance." If you look at the academic success—like Stevie Mitchell being named BIG EAST Scholar-Athlete of the Year—you see the substance. He’s building people, not just players.
The Stats That Matter
To give you an idea of the consistency he's found in Milwaukee, check out this breakdown of his time at Marquette versus the "struggle" years at Texas.
Marquette Era (2021-2025):
- NCAA Appearances: 4 for 4.
- 20-Win Seasons: 3 consecutive.
- Big East Titles: 1 Regular Season, 1 Tournament.
- Core Strategy: Pro-retention, zero reliance on the transfer portal.
Texas Era (2015-2021):
- NCAA Appearances: 3 in 6 seasons.
- Tournament Wins: 0.
- Core Strategy: High-level NBA recruiting, fluctuating defensive identities.
Lessons for the Rest of Us
You don't have to be a basketball fan to learn something from Shaka Smart’s career arc. It’s basically a masterclass in cultural fit.
Sometimes you’re at a job where the "vibe" is just off. Texas is a football school with a "big business" approach to basketball. Marquette is a basketball-first, Jesuit institution that values community. Shaka is a community guy. He needs that connection to thrive.
If you’re a leader, a coach, or just someone trying to build a team, here is the Shaka Smart playbook:
- Stop chasing the "Portal": Whether it's employees or players, the grass isn't always greener. Investing in the people you already have builds a level of chemistry that money (or NIL) can't buy.
- Be authentic: Shaka stopped trying to be the "cool young coach" or the "big-time Texas coach." He’s just Shaka now—floor-slapping, chest-bumping, and high-fiving walk-ons.
- Adapt or Die: He realized the old Havoc was too taxing for a 35-game season against elite guards. He kept the mentality but changed the mechanics.
What to Watch Next
Marquette is currently navigating a younger roster in 2026. Keep an eye on how they handle the Big East gauntlet. The league is as tough as it’s ever been with UConn and Creighton consistently in the top 10.
If you want to see if a coach has actually "made it," don't look at the championship years. Look at the years right after the stars leave. If the culture holds, the coach is the real deal. Shaka Smart has officially entered that "real deal" territory.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Watch a Marquette game specifically focusing on their "kills" (three defensive stops in a row). It’s the metric Shaka cares about most.
- Audit your own "retention strategy." If you're in a leadership role, ask if you're spending more time recruiting new talent than developing the talent you already have.
- Follow the Big East standings. See if Smart's "Our Way" philosophy continues to outpace teams that are "buying" their rosters through the portal.