What is Shaka Smart's ethnicity? Everything we know about the Marquette HC's family

Shaka Smart has made a name for himself in college basketball over the years. The coach rose to prominence in 2011 after leading the lesser-ranked Virginia Commonwealth University to its first and so far only appearance in the Final Four. Since then, his ethnicity has often been asked about.

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What's Shaka Smart's ethnicity?

Shaka Smart is of African-American ancestry. He was born to a black father and a white mother in Madison, Wisconsin, and grew up in Fitchburg. He attended Oregon High School in Oregon, Wisconsin, where his journey to the basketball world began.

Smart was among the students of color at Oregon High School and encountered instances of racism. In response, Smart took on a leadership role by spearheading a student group dedicated to organizing multicultural events and seminars addressing issues of homophobia and racism.

On many occasions, Smart has said that his experience helped him develop a competitive drive in his overall life affairs. He could have a significant impact on the issue of racism in his environment, which evidently shaped the trajectory of his career.

Following his high school education, Smart was said to have declined admission to Harvard University in favor of attending Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio. He graduated magna cum laude from Kenyon College with a degree in history, where he concentrated on studying issues related to race and the Great Migration.

While he made a name for himself with VCU, Smart has gone on to coach at Texas and Marquette following his stint with the Rams. His coaching career started immediately after his playing career at Kenyon. He was an assistant at California, Akron, Clemson and Florida before joining VCU in 2009.

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Shaka Smart’s family

Shaka Smart was born to the family of Winston Smart and Monica King on Apr. 8, 1977, in Madison, Wisconsin. His father was black, while his mother was of Caucasian heritage. He grew up under the care of his mother after his father abandoned the family in 1994.

The Marquette Eagles coach grew up with his six siblings and started his pursuit of a career in basketball from his high school days. His resilience got him all the way despite the series of challenges.

He got his pretty unique name from the legendary Zulu king Shaka kaSenzangakhona. Despite being teased about his name while growing up in Fitchburg, Smart has said that being named Shaka was the "best thing" his father did for him.