Join us as we sit down with legendary high school basketball coach Steve Smith, who revolutionized the game during his 37-year tenure at Oak Hill Academy. Coach Smith shares incredible stories about transforming a small boarding school in Mouth of Wilson, Virginia into a national powerhouse that produced 35 McDonald’s All-Americans and numerous NBA stars including Rod Strickland, Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant, and Rajon Rondo. We discover how Smith pioneered the concept of high school teams traveling nationally, his relationships with coaching giants like Dean Smith and John Calipari, and the players who got away—including Kevin Garnett and Allen Iverson.
⏰ Timestamps:
(00:00:00) - Introduction: The Pioneer of High School Basketball & Oak Hill’s Early Days
(00:04:40) - NBA All-Stars Coached: Creating a Dream Team
(00:08:09) - Rod Strickland: The Player Who Put Oak Hill on the Map
(00:10:21) - The $50,000 Cash Offer: Recruiting’s Dark Side
(00:15:11) - Dean Smith, John Calipari, and College Coaching Legends at Oak Hill
(00:19:37) - The Undefeated 1992-1993 Team: Stackhouse and McGinnis
(00:22:17) - North Carolina Recruiting: How UNC Landed Oak Hill Stars
(00:27:29) - Kevin Garnett: The Hall of Famer Who Got Away
(00:30:36) - College Coaches on the Golf Course: Legendary Foursomes
(00:33:21) - Rajon Rondo: From Underrated Recruit to NBA Star
(00:35:39) - The Players Who Surprised: Unexpected NBA Success Stories
(00:39:19) - Allen Iverson: The Virginia Beach Star Who Never Came
(00:42:55) - The Epic Oak Hill vs. Montrose Christian Game: 41-0 Season
(00:47:42) - The Heartbreaking Loss: How Oak Hill’s Perfect Season Ended
(00:49:13) - Kevin Durant’s Decision to Leave Oak Hill
(00:53:14) - The Greatest High School Game Ever Played
(00:56:05) - Ty Lawson’s Missed Dunk: An Electrifying Moment
(00:59:39) - College Coaching Offers: Why Smith Stayed at Oak Hill
(1:04:24) - Carmelo Anthony: Oak Hill’s Most Recognizable Star
(1:05:37) - Coaching Players’ Sons: The Next Generation
(1:08:56) - Rapid Fire: Best Point Guard Coached, Lebron, & KD
(1:17:27) The Ultimate “What If”: Garnett and Mercer on Same Team
💡Key Topics:
📌 How Steve Smith built Oak Hill Academy into a basketball dynasty starting in 1985
📌 Behind-the-scenes stories of coaching future NBA superstars like Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant, and Rajon Rondo
📌 The famous 41-0 season that ended with a heartbreaking loss to Kevin Durant’s Montrose Christian
📌 College recruiting tales featuring legendary coaches like Dean Smith, Bobby Knight, and John Calipari
📌 The players who got away: Kevin Garnett, Allen Iverson, and Gilbert Arenas
📌 Smith’s decision to remain at Oak Hill despite numerous college coaching offers
🏀 About Steve Smith:
Steve Smith served as head basketball coach at Oak Hill Academy for 37 years (1985-2022), where he transformed a small boarding school in rural Virginia into one of the most prestigious high school basketball programs in America. Under his leadership, Oak Hill produced 35 McDonald’s All-Americans and went 22 consecutive years with at least one McDonald’s selection. His teams traveled nationally, competed against the best programs in the country, and regularly finished ranked among the nation’s top high school teams. Smith’s coaching tree includes numerous NBA stars, and his influence on high school basketball created the blueprint for today’s national powerhouse programs.
🎙️ About the JustIn Time Podcast:
The JustIn Time Podcast brings you exclusive, in-depth conversations with the biggest names in sports and beyond. As veteran broadcasters, Justin brings unfiltered discuss
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