Shaka Smart to Texas: Takeaways from Coach's Introductory Press Conference

Hours after the Texas Longhorns confirmed they hired Shaka Smart to succeed Rick Barnes as men's head basketball coach, Smart took the podium for his introductory press conference Friday evening.

Smart was one of the more in-demand young coaches in the country, and Texas athletic director Steve Patterson made it clear the Longhorns were desperate to bring him in. At the press conference, he revealed Smart was the only candidate interviewed, per Texas Basketball:

Smart added that he hopes to build a strong relationship with Patterson in the years to come (via Texas Basketball):

Many wondered what it took for Texas to lure Smart away from Virginia Commonwealth. According to Chip Brown of HornsDigest.com, Smart received a seven-year deal worth about $3 million annually:

Smart made the jump to Austin after spending six years at VCU. He famously helped take the Rams to the Final Four in 2011 and compiled a 163-56 record during his time in Richmond.

Most expected it was only a matter of time before Smart moved up to a more traditional power like Texas, and ESPN's Jeff Goodman reported after the Longhorns fired Barnes that Smart was high on their list of potential replacements.

Tim Pearrell of the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported VCU offered Smart $2.5 million a year to stay at the school, to no avail:

Smart was coy when asked about the Rams' attempts to keep him, per Kirk Bohls of the Austin American-Statesman:

"Leaving VCU was not an easy decision for me and my family," Smart said in the press release announcing his hiring at Texas. "I will be eternally grateful to the players at VCU with whom I shared such special experiences. They have taught me so much and changed my life."

In his press conference, Smart said that the idea of coaching the Longhorns was simply too good to pass up, per ESPN Texas:

He quickly shifted the focus from his now-former employer to his current one. The press conference was effectively Smart's public mission statement for what he hopes to instill in his players and where he wants to take the school going forward.

Smart made no bones that his style won't always endear him to the players but that they're all in the same boat, per Fox Sports' Annabel Stephan:

The 37-year-old also spoke of his value system when it comes to coaching, per Texas Basketball:

One look at the number of NBA players who played at Texas under Barnes reveals that his failures didn't come on the recruiting trail. The Longhorns regularly had a talented squad but couldn't put it together in March.

During the press conference, Smart said one of his priorities is in-state recruiting, per Chuck Carlton of The Dallas Morning News:

Smart also put to bed any doubt that he views Texas as simply the next step in his coaching career and plans on jumping at the next big opportunity. He said he'll be in Austin for the long term, per Chris Hummer of Horns247:

The reverence with which he spoke of the school only augmented his commitment to the program (via ESPN Texas):

Former Longhorns star Kevin Durant reacted to the Smart hiring on Twitter:

During the press conference, Smart even managed to get a slight jab at one of Texas' biggest rivals, the Kansas Jayhawks.

VCU earned a reputation for playing a unique style of basketball, especially on the defensive end. Certainly, one of the bigger questions is whether Smart's penchant for the full-court press will be as successful at Texas.

When pressed about the issue, Smart noted that it worked well against Kansas in the Elite Eight of the 2011 NCAA tournament, per Ashley Hodge of BearsTruth:

It would've been hard to find many Texas fans upset with the hiring of Smart when it was officially announced, and there will be even fewer critics after Friday's press conference. Smart was assured on the podium and very direct with his goals and how he'll go about achieving them.

The Longhorn faithful have good reason to believe Smart can be the man to take the program to heights it never reached under Barnes.