Steve Smith, a veteran of more than 30 years of high school, college and professional coaching, has been named an assistant coach with the Indiana Fever. Smith, a native of
Riverside, Calif., has been an assistant or scout with four WNBA franchises, most recently the Connecticut Sun. He is the first hire for new head coach Marianne Stanley, who joined the franchise
last month.
“When we selected Marianne as our head coach, we knew she would build her coaching staff with proven leaders and winners,” said Fever General Manager Tamika Catchings. “We are confident in her selection and Steve’s expertise.”
“I am thrilled to add Steve to our coaching staff,” said Stanley. “His vast experience and knowledge within the WNBA including game preparation, scouting and player development, will help us
immensely. As we continue to build our championship culture, Steve’s interpersonal skills will be invaluable.”
Smith served as an assistant or scout within the WNBA for the Phoenix Mercury, Detroit Shock, Los Angeles Sparks and the Connecticut Sun 21 years (1997- 2018). Prior to that he was the head men’s basketball coach at the University of Dominican College in San Rafael, Calif., from 1990-97. He moved into high school coaching at Windward, Calif., where he built the girls varsity into a powerhouse that produced two future WNBA players, Imani Stafford-McGee (Dallas Wings) and Jordin Canada (Seattle Storm). His 2011 team won the California state championship and finished ranked third nationally by USA Today. He also served as the school’s director of athletics.
He currently is serving as athletics director at Oakwood School in North Hollywood, Calif. He and his wife, Rebecca, have four children and two grandchildren.
Leave a Reply