Paris Hires South Carolina Native Steve Smith as Assistant Coach
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Head coach Lamont Paris completed his staff with the addition of veteran assistant coach Steve Smith he announced on Tuesday morning. Smith brings a wealth of experience having served 13 seasons as an assistant with three different stops in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
“Steve’s basketball connections throughout the southeast, and especially in the state of South Carolina, are as strong as any assistant coach in the country,” said Paris. “He is incredibly experienced and will undoubtedly bring immediate value to our program in numerous ways. With Steve growing up in the state of South Carolina and his wife being a USC alum, this is a true Welcome Home.”
“I’m extremely excited to be blessed with this incredible opportunity,” said Smith. “Coach Paris is a great basketball mind whom I’ve admired from afar for many years. I can’t wait to get started with him and the rest of the staff. Forever to Thee!”
Smith served the past two seasons as an assistant for Earl Grant at Boston College (2024-26). Prior to his time in Chestnut Hill, he was an assistant for five seasons on Leonard Hamilton’s staff at Florida State (2019-24).
In his first season with the Seminoles in 2019-20, Smith helped guide the team to a 26-5 (16-4 ACC) record and a No. 4 final ranking in the AP Poll en route to the program’s first ACC regular season championship. He helped the Seminoles to the Sweet 16 in the 2021 NCAA Tournament on a team that was led by future NBA All-Star Scottie Barnes. Smith helped recruit a pair of top-15 classes in 2021 and 2022 to Tallahassee.
Prior to his tenure at FSU, Smith was on Brad Brownell’s staff at Clemson for seven seasons (2012-19). He was a part of three 20-win seasons and a trio of teams that logged double-digit ACC victories. Clemson won 25 games in 2017-18 and advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1997.
Smith was instrumental in the develop of three of the Tigers’ top players in his tenure there in two-time All-ACC selection Jaron Blossomgame, 2014 ACC Defensive Player of the Year K.J. McDaniels and Donte Grantham. Blossomgame was a First Team All-ACC in 2015-16 after averaging 18.7 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. He was selected 59th overall by San Antonio in the 2017 NBA Draft. McDaniels was the 32nd overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft by Philadelphia after averaging 17.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.8 blocks, 1.6 assists and 1.1 steals per game his junior season in 2013-14.
Prior to Clemson, Smith was an assistant at Georgia Southern (2009-12) working under Charlton Young and USC Upstate (2005-09) for Eddie Payne helping the program transition from NCAA Division II to Division I.
He played two seasons at Morgan State before enlisting in the Army where he served various assignments from 1994-2000. After completing his service in the Army, he enrolled at Trinity College in 2000 and earned an undergraduate degree in information systems in 2002. He served as an assistant women’s coach at Allen University in Columbia while he completed his degree.
Smith and his wife Fran have a son, Jordan, and two daughters, Tayler and Karsyn.
Originally from Varnville, S.C., he and his wife founded a non-profit organization called Steve Smith’s Shooting Stars in 2017 to inspire, educate and support underserved youth of Hampton County and the surrounding areas. The organization supports school-aged children with events designed to give back, while stressing the importance of education and providing the tools for success during the school year.
