Shaka Smart, men’s basketball head coach, was named to The Athletic’s list of top 40 most admired people in sports.
To compile the list, The Athletic conducted a survey of 116 participants centered on the concept of “most admired” — a deliberately broad and subjective measure of leadership. Participants were not asked to define admiration in a specific way, allowing each individual to determine what qualities they valued most. Those qualities could range from communication style and composure under pressure to visibility, influence or competitive success.
No restrictions were placed on whether participants could vote for individuals they had worked with or played for. The only eligibility requirement was that nominees be actively serving as a coach, player or executive in 2025.
Smart was recognized for his coaching philosophy that centers on building strong relationships and fostering player growth.
“What I admire is Shaka’s persistence in never being satisfied with where he is until it’s better,” former NBA player Bruce Bowen told The Athletic. “It’s not easy to connect with kids whose ideas of what the game is today may not shape up to be the same as the head coach, but Shaka continues to find a way to connect and enhance along the way.”
Smart, in his fifth season at Marquette, guided the Golden Eagles to the NCAA tournament in each of his first four seasons, including the program’s first trip to the Sweet 16 (2023-24) since 2012-13. In 2022-23, Marquette secured the program’s first Big East Conference regular season and tournament titles.
The Athletic is a New York Times-backed subscription-based sports journalism platform known for its in-depth reporting, long-form storytelling and analysis across professional, collegiate and global sports. Founded in 2016, it emphasizes local beat coverage and national perspective, pairing experienced reporters with a digital-first model that prioritizes quality over click-driven content.
The list was a part of Peak, The Athletic’s desk covering the mental side of sports.
