There are a lot of storylines surrounding Marquette men’s basketball in 2025-26.
How will the Golden Eagles replace the void left by Kam Jones, Stevie Mitchell and David Joplin? How will head coach Shaka Smart evaluate his roster-construction preference of retaining players rather than using the transfer portal? How will the Golden Eagles play?
To answer all that and more, Smart sat down with the Marquette Wire Monday, Oct. 27 in an exclusive interview.
Here are some of the highlights:
Learning from previous seasons
Smart has taken Marquette to new heights in his four full seasons as head coach.
He led the Golden Eagles to their first outright Big East regular season and Big East tournament title in the same season in 2022-23. The following season, Marquette clinched a spot in the Sweet 16 for the first time in a decade.
But, each season has also come with their downfalls.
Marquette lost in the second round of the NCAA tournament as a No. 2 seed in 2022-23, failed to make the Elite Eight in 2023-24 after one of the worst 3-point shooting performances of the season and, last year, the Golden Eagles lost in the first round to 10th seeded New Mexico.
“You have first-hand experience with what goes into winning, but also what goes into losing,” Smart said. “Sometimes, to learn how to win big, first you have to learn what goes into losing. You have to learn and grow. Hopefully if you are intentional you are not going to lose the same way.”
Seniors’ time to step up
To help replace Jones, Mitchell and Joplin, Smart expects seniors Chase Ross, Ben Gold and Sean Jones (who redshirted last season after tearing his ACL as a sophomore) step up from a leadership and playing standpoint.
“They have been both part of a lot of wins over their first three years. Having Sean Jones back on the court will be big for us as well,” Smart said.
“Those three are the foundation,” he continued. “One of the things that goes hand in hand with the graduations of guys like Stevie, Kam, and Jop is that there is an opportunity, there’s a void for others to step into.”
Despite not playing last year, Smart said Jones still found ways to be a leader.
“He was our best leader on last years’ team,” he said, “but it caused a little bit of disjointed feeling out there because he was not playing, but he was leading.”
Why No Portal?
Smart’s anti-portal approach to roster construction makes him a rarity — and that’s putting it mildly — in college basketball. While the rest of the sport zigs, he zags.
Smart has gotten only four players in the portal since taking over in 2021, and the last Division I transfer came in 2022, meaning its been three years with zero portal acquisitions.
“The reason we do it the way we do, is we have had really good success with the young guys we have, that become old guys,” Smart said.
Smart’s philosophy is a little different from others. Some may scorn at it for being “old school,” but for him it has to do with how he grew up.
“My coaches really put their arm around me and worked hard with me on my own development, first and foremost as a man, and then obviously as a player,” Smart said. “Those things are not mutually exclusive.”
How will Marquette play this year?
Smart has repeatedly said the Golden Eagles’ speed is going to be their biggest advantage. Sean Jones’ return coupled with speedy first-year Nigel James Jr. gives Marquette a hyper-quick backcourt.
“We have two guys who can get up the floor as fast as anyone,” Smart said.
Along with a quick tempo, the Golden Eagles are going to need Smart’s trademark tenacious defense in order to have success.
“We have to have violence particularly whether it is a screen on the ball, a drive, or a guy got the ball,” Smart said. “Defense you have to put your chest on that guy. Physicality at the moment of truth is huge. Also requires a level of IQ.”
The first-years
Because Marquette acquired zero outside help via the portal, the first-years are going to have to step up.
“This can be a cornerstone group for us over the course of time and lay a foundation for future teams to come,” Smart said.
That means James Jr. and Adrien Stevens — two players Smart has lauded this offseason — and Michael Phillips II, as Ian Miletic and Sheek Pearson are redshirting.
“I think this group across the board will maybe be more talented than [the class of 2021],” he said. “This group has even more upside in time.”
Smart’s role models
Smart said is biggest role model was his mom, Monica King, who raised Smart and his three bothers as a single mother.
“First off, my mom was an unofficial coach,” he said. “She never played basketball or had anything to do with sports but she has taught me the vast majority of what I try to work with these guys with as people.”
Another role model includes his first coach at Division III Kenyon College located in Gambrier, Ohio, Bill Brown. Smart started all four years at Kenyon and left as the program’s all-time assist leader (542).
“[Brown] put his arm around me and he built a lot of faith and confidence in me,” Smart said. “When he left he told me that I should go into coaching when I am done playing.”
This story was written by Brian Wilson. He can be reached at b.c.wilson@marquette.edu.