Marquette Coach Shaka Smart on being stubborn not recruiting out of the transfer portal

Summary

Eye On College Basketball – Episode Summary

Episode: Marquette Coach Shaka Smart on being stubborn not recruiting out of the transfer portal
Date: October 21, 2025
Hosts: Gary Parrish & Matt Norlander
Guest: Shaka Smart (Head Coach, Marquette Basketball)

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Overview of Episode Theme

This episode features an in-depth conversation with Marquette head coach Shaka Smart, focusing on his unique approach to roster building—specifically, his steadfast commitment to recruiting and developing high school players over pursuing transfer portal talent. The dialogue explores Shaka’s coaching philosophy, his evaluations of his current roster, and the values underlying his program’s culture amidst the rapidly evolving landscape of college basketball.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Marquette’s 2025-26 Team Outlook

• Expectations & Development:
  • The hosts project Marquette as a top-three Big East contender and top 25 team nationally.
  • Shaka emphasizes the team’s potential but notes they are in a "becoming" phase, adjusting to new roles and evolving together over the first few months.

    "There's going to be a lot of becoming over the first, you know, two, three months of the season. We're growing into roles. We're figuring each other out." — Shaka Smart [01:24]

Impact Newcomers: Freshmen, Not Transfers

• Philosophy on Roster Construction:
  • The only true “new guys” are freshmen; Marquette has added no new transfers.
  • Two freshmen standing out:
    • Nigel James:
      • Quick, electric point guard from Long Island, central to the team’s uptempo style.

        "Nigel James is a point guard from Long island and he is electric, he's quick. One thing about our team is it's probably the fastest team that I've ever coached." — Shaka Smart [02:38]

    • Adrian Stevens:
      • Tough, physical shooting guard expected to contribute meaningfully early on.

Leadership Transitions and Player Growth

• Chase Ross’ Expanded Role:

  • Only Marquette player with preseason All-Conference recognition.
  • Shaka Smart underscores Ross’s ongoing evolution and readiness to meet higher expectations:

    "When you go into that top cup, as we call it, there's higher expectations, there's more pressure... He's handled it really well. He's been a good leader. He is of the highest character and toughness, which is a great place to start." — Shaka Smart [04:02]

• Other Notables:

  • Sean Jones:
    • Returning from injury; brings speed and leadership.
    • Expected to play a major role after making an impact two years ago.
  • Kaden Hamilton:
    • An under-the-radar frontcourt player expected to make Marquette tougher up front.

      “As soon as you watch us play this year, you will see the impact that he has on our team. He immediately makes our front court tougher…” — Shaka Smart [05:44]

Big Picture: Transfer Portal and “Stubborn” Program Philosophy

• Shaka’s Take:

  • Affirms that his avoidance of the portal is not a negative commentary on others, but a positive belief in his own system.
  • The core value is internal growth and development, ensuring current players have the chance to fill open roles.

    "We don't in any way have any negative beliefs about anyone else. We just have positive beliefs about how we go about it... There's always been so many different ways to skin a cat in college basketball." — Shaka Smart [06:41]

• Navigating a Portal-Dominated Landscape:

  • Marquette’s reputation means agents still reach out with transfer candidates, but Shaka prefers investing in homegrown talent.

  • Memorable anecdote: being offered a player from a mid-major with a million dollar price tag, cementing his decision to resist transfer market economics.

    "I remember... three years ago, we got a call about a player...the call was, hey, do you want them? It's a million dollars. This was three years ago." — Shaka Smart [08:10]

  • Emphasis on the importance of filling voids with emerging talent already in the program, which catalyzes the next wave of team leaders—e.g., Tyler Kolek and Cam Jones.

Inspirations & Broader Leadership Philosophy

• Influences on Shaka’s Approach:

  • The late Coach George Raveling was a key mentor in roster building.
  • Shaka learns from other sports, having visited several NFL programs.

    “At the end of the day for us, we value relationships, growth and victory, and those three are not values in a silo. Separately, they all are interconnected.” — Shaka Smart [11:39]

• Core Values:

  • Relationships, growth, and victory, all viewed as interdependent.
  • Urges evaluation of the program not just by wins and losses, but by player development over the long term:

    “I would encourage you just watch us over the long term, going back four years, watch us because we haven't taken a Division 1 transfer since my very first spring at Marquette, and then just evaluate how we do.” — Shaka Smart [12:35]

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Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On Resisting Transfer Portal Trends:

  “People are always going to call, they're going to do their job. Because of our model, we're not going to be in the market for people asking for that much. You know, we would rather reward a guy like Chase Ross who's been in our program and won games and worn the uniform.”
  — Shaka Smart [08:31]

• On Media’s Perspective vs. Inside the Program:

  "You and I could talk about it and you probably still wouldn't fully understand unless you spent several days within our program. And that's okay, you know, the media's job is to simplify."
  — Shaka Smart [06:52]

• Host’s Perspective on Shaka’s Philosophy:

  “Until I see it not work with what you're doing, I will have faith that you and your staff are going to get it done.”
  — Interviewer [09:49]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [00:43] — Introduction, season outlook, Shaka on team development
• [02:15] — Standout freshmen: Nigel James and Adrian Stevens
• [03:17] — Chase Ross’ growth and leadership
• [05:17] — Returning contributors: Sean Jones and Kaden Hamilton
• [05:57] — The Marquette model: high school recruiting, no transfer portal usage
• [08:10] — Million-dollar portal anecdote, philosophy on rewarding tenured players
• [10:55] — Mentors & influences: Coach Raveling, cross-sport insights
• [11:39] — Values: relationships, growth, victory
• [12:35] — Urging long-term evaluation of Marquette’s developmental approach

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Conclusion

This episode offers a candid look behind Marquette’s unique approach, as Shaka Smart defends his “stubborn” commitment to development from within and offers transparency on both the challenges and deep-seated values guiding the program. Listeners gain an insider’s understanding of how Marquette is navigating college basketball’s new era—and the belief that measured, long-term growth can still win in a portal-driven world.

Transcript

[Podcast Host / Advertiser]

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[Interviewer / Podcast Host]

Marquette coach Shaka Smart joins us on the ION college basketball podcast. It is always a joy to see you here at Madison Square Garden. Listen, I'm picking you third in the league, all right? I've got you as like a top 25 level team. I believe in you. I believe in your system. Paris and I talked about it on our Longer Biggies preview pod earlier in the week. But take us into your program and like, what are you seeing? Give me as much honesty as you can possibly afford here. Like, are you seeing a group that you have belief can be top three, top four in the league, can compete for, you know, a 3, 4, 5 seed? Do you see that or do you still. Is it a situation where it's like, matt, check in with me in six weeks and I'll still know more?

[Shaka Smart]

I would say both. Yeah. Okay. I think it's a group that absolutely has the potential to grow into the team you describe. But I compare this team in some ways to who we were my first couple years at Marquette, where there's going to be a lot of becoming over the first, you know, two, three months of the season. We're growing into roles. We're figuring each other out. Sean Jones is coming back from injury, and so for him to work his way back into playing form more mentally and emotionally than physically, because he's been practicing for quite a while, is going to be big. We've got some new guys that are going to be pieces on our team that we feel like can help us. So it's definitely a group that's still coming together, but we're excited about it.

[Interviewer / Podcast Host]

Let's go to the new guys real quick. When you say that, who's a couple and you know, don't go coach speak on me and list off six guys.

[Shaka Smart]

Okay?

[Interviewer / Podcast Host]

Don't do it, Shaka. Give me one or two guys that just as that the team would know, like, the players know, the players know. It's true out there that if when you say, by the way, for everyone that's not familiar, when he says new guys, he literally means freshmen, okay. Because there's a transfer in the program One or two freshmen that have shown throughout the summer and into the fall like they're ready. And I expect them to earn real minutes in November, I would say.

[Shaka Smart]

Nigel James and Adrian Stevens. We knew a long time ago that Cam Jones and Stevie Mitchell were going to be leaving after last year graduating. And so we felt like that was a key position for us in that recruiting class. Nigel James is a point guard from Long island and he is electric, he's quick. One thing about our team is it's probably the fastest team that I've ever coached. So just from the standpoint of speed, we have that and Nigel James is a big part of that. And Adrian Stevens is a tough, physical, really good shooting guard who's learning his way as a freshman, but he'll definitely impact us early.

[Interviewer / Podcast Host]

Let's talk about Chase Ross. He's the only member of your team that got preseason all conference accolades there. You've had a really nice run, some really impactful guards. Obviously Chase is no stranger to, to the Marquette fan base as he steps into an even bigger role. I love talking with you about these kind of things. When it's just you and him talking about stuff and whether that was going back in the spring, over the summer, or you caught him on a, on a one to one meeting earlier this month, how much of it is allowing him to like truly grow and be into his own player versus okay, we have had a system here where quite clearly you have seen what guards can do in our system, how they can thrive and become, you know, elite players within this conference. How do you balance that? What's he seeking from you? What kind of advice are you trying to give to him?

[Shaka Smart]

You're doing really good with. Two things are true at once today because it is both of those. I mean, he's been on the team with Tyler, he's been on the team with Cam Jones. So he's seen that evolution for those guys. At the same time, he's his own man and he's a guy when he first came to us that wasn't sure that he could play at this level. On this very court. His freshman year, he made unbelievable contributions to help us win the Big east tournament. So it's been an evolution for him in terms of belief. This year is another big step because when you go into that top cup, as we call it, there's higher expectations, there's more pressure, there's more of an opportunity for there to be a frustration gap caused by your play maybe not being always at the highest level that you expect, but through four weeks of practice, he's handled it really well. He's been a good leader. He is of the highest character and toughness, which is a great place to start.

[Interviewer / Podcast Host]

Okay, who else should we narrow in on? Guys that projected starters, returnees for our your Marquette fan base, plenty of whom are dialed in, are all too familiar with folks that are just kind of getting reacquainted. Other guys back that you have high expectations for and if their roles are going to be slightly tweaked, how, you know, in what ways would that be the case?

[Shaka Smart]

Well, I mentioned Sean Jones. You know, he's a guy that was very impactful to our team two years ago and then sat out last year as he was recovering from injury. He, he's a guy that brings incredible speed, quickness, a great leader and someone that we're really excited about. Kaden Hamilton is a young man that probably walking around here today. Most people don't know who he is.

[Interviewer / Podcast Host]

I cannot pick him out of a lineup.

[Shaka Smart]

You couldn't pick him out of a lineup. But as soon as you watch us play this year, you will see the impact that he has on our team. He immediately makes our front court tougher and more formidable. So very excited about those guys.

[Interviewer / Podcast Host]

Okay, let's go. Big picture on stuff. And I know you've talked about this plenty, but no better time than now and I'd love to dive into this with you later on this season. In general, what is your opinion on the state of the game? Parrish and I mentioned on our podcast, we, and this is not, this is not derogatory. We find that your belief in recruiting high school players and developing them and not going to the portal is a. Is among other things, it is a stubborn approach. But you're just. This is going to be so we know how you're doing this, but is it. Is the way that you're running your program also, even if somewhat inadvertently, is it, is it a non spoken commentary on where you find the state of college basketball or to those two things? Are those not connected?

[Shaka Smart]

Not at all. I mean, there's always been so many different ways to skin a cat in college basketball. Obviously, with the changes in the rules and the changes in how things have worked, people have diverged even more. But you know, we don't in any way have any negative beliefs about anyone else. We just have positive beliefs about how we go about it. You and I could talk about it and you probably still wouldn't fully understand unless you spent several days within our program. And that's okay, you know, the media's job is to simplify. The media's job is to summarize. Anytime you do want to come spend several days in our program, you're more than welcome.

[Interviewer / Podcast Host]

Okay, fair enough. And I may well take you up on that sooner than later. Did you, I'm curious if you know, in the process of late March, early mid April, as a head coach, like do you have a litany of agents that are calling you, getting your number, texting you, or going to your staff and still just trying to break through and they could be in good faith and good intention? Or did you feel as though that wasn't as prominent because you understand that your reputation as a program and what you're trying to do, there just weren't as many people proverbially knocking on your door. I just wonder if it was more or less or just more the same that particularly with this past cycle with everyone that you lost from last season.

[Shaka Smart]

Do you mean knocking on our door with agents?

[Interviewer / Podcast Host]

Correct. Like our agents finding you and saying, hey, listen, Shock, I know this is not your deal, but like with transfers, this guy, like, you know, I really think you should give him a shot or are people maybe not even trying as much as.

[Shaka Smart]

Well, I'll tell you, people are always going to do their job. I remember, I think it was three years ago, we got a call about a player that was transferring from a mid major school, ended up in our league, ended up having a really, really good career, and the call was, hey, do you want them? It's a million dollars. This was three years ago. And so people are always going to call, they're going to do their job. Because of our model, we're not going to be in the market for people asking for that much. You know, we would rather reward a guy like Chase Ross who's been in our program and won games and worn the uniform. But yeah, we still get calls. We still have people that express interest. That doesn't mean they definitely would come. Because the thing that, you know, I think gets lost a little bit in this is, you know, there's transfers you can take that can be major, major impact guys on your team, culturally, defensively and offensively. There's also people that could take away from your team in some ways in those three areas. And for us, we place an incredible value on growth and that's first and foremost the growth of our current players. So we feel like the emergence of a guy like Tyler Kolek, the emergence of a guy like Cam Jones, Osogidaro was allowed by having a void there to step into by departing players. And that requires you to have some young guys that you feel that strongly about. So that'll get put to the test for us over the next few years.

[Interviewer / Podcast Host]

Yes, it will. I'm very interested to see how that all, how that all pans out.

[Shaka Smart]

It's interesting. You seem like you don't fully buy it because you don't fully understand it.

[Interviewer / Podcast Host]

But I think I will have you ranked higher than any human in the entire country. Let's just, let's be extremely clear about this. I have Marquette third in the Big east and I think that you're going to be a top 25 level team because frankly, and I said this on the Big east preview show, I just, until I see it not work with what you're doing, I will, I will have faith that you and your staff are going to get it done. Like if it doesn't get done this year, then. Okay, then we can, we can circle back. Okay. And we can have a meeting of the minds. But no, no, I definitely don't get wrong. I definitely, I definitely believe it. Last question for you. Tied to this a little bit. Are there people in other walks of sports life or just in general that you have talked to that just that don't build basketball, not the NBA level, they don't build basketball rosters, but that have kind of informed your philosophy on this, be it in another sport or just non sports in general when it comes to how you run your program, you know, you're very well connected, you do a lot of reading. I just wonder if there are certain people that fans might not realize that you kind of go to for some insights and have kind of gleaned and helped you do your job over the past few years.

[Shaka Smart]

Well, actually Coach Raveling, who just passed away several weeks ago, was probably my biggest influence as it relates to roster building. But yeah, we're always trying to learn from other folks. I've gotten a chance to visit with five different football programs in the last year and a half.

[Interviewer / Podcast Host]

I saw you at the packers, by the way, I'm a Bears fan and I believe once upon a time he told me he was a Bears fan, so I don't know how I understand.

[Shaka Smart]

Well, I went to a Bears playoff game back in the 80s when they were really, really good. My grandfather lived in Chicago my whole childhood, so. But I live in Milwaukee. Man, you can't not be a Packers fan living in Milwaukee.

[Interviewer / Podcast Host]

Anyway, keep it, keep it going. Anyway, you visited a number of different NFL.

[Shaka Smart]

Yeah, and you know, there's, there's so much that you can learn from different industries, but everyone's a little bit different. Everyone's rules are different. Everyone's calendar is a little bit different. At the end of the day for us, we value relationships, growth and victory, and those three are not values in a silo. Separately, they all are interconnected, and we believe the way we go about it is the best fit for Marquette and those three core values together. We're excited about continuing to put it to the test. I think it's really, really easy for anyone to look at a snapshot result and say this works or doesn't work. I know it is a different way of going about it, but you know, I would encourage you just watch us over the long term, going back four years, watch us because we haven't taken a Division 1 transfer since my very first spring at Marquette. And then just evaluate how we do. Obviously the results on the floor, but also what happens with our guys in terms of their growth and development as people and as players that shock us.

[Interviewer / Podcast Host]

Smart Fascinated by it. So intrigued to see what you and your team can do this season. Thanks for stopping by and I'll try to get to Milwaukee as soon as I can.

[Shaka Smart]

You're always welcome.

[Interviewer / Podcast Host]

Thank you.

[Podcast Host / Advertiser]

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