Smith’s No. 2 will be the fifth number retired in the Louisville men’s basketball program, joining No. 8 Charlie Tyra (1953-57 at UofL), No. 31 Wes Unseld (1965-68), No. 35 Darrell Griffith (1979-80) and No. 42 Pervis Ellison (1985-89). 

To celebrate the occasion, Russ Smith-focused elements will be featured heavily in the gameday experience, with an exclusive opportunity for UofL season ticket holders and additional fan engagement details to be released in the days leading up to the game.

Nicknamed “Russdiculous,” Smith is the only Louisville player in history with at least 1,800 career points, 350 assists and 250 steals. He is the Cardinals’ all-time leader in steals with 257, is fifth in career scoring at Louisville with 1,908 points, second in career free throws made with 488, and is tied for ninth in career three-pointers with 180.  

A consensus All-America selection as a senior in 2013-14 and the 2014 AAC Tournament Most Outstanding Player, Smith averaged 18.2 points, 4.6 assists and 2.0 steals as the Cardinals posted a 31-6 record.  He was a candidate for national player of the year honors and was one of 10 finalists for the Senior CLASS award (first team All-America by AP, USBWA, The Sporting News, CBS Sports, NBC Sports, Bleacher Report, second team NABC). The two-time KenPom Player of the Year (2013, 2014) was among the top four for the Naismith Trophy presented by AT&T and among the top five on the John R. Wooden All-America team.  

Smith earned All-America honors as a junior in 2012-13 (AP, NABC, The Sporting News third team) when he led the Cardinals in scoring, averaging 18.7 points (35th in the nation) and 2.1 steals (36th nationally). He was selected as the national Player of the Year by Ken Pomeroy and was the recipient of the 2012-13 Big East Conference Scholar-Athlete Sports Excellence Award for men’s basketball. He earned the Most Outstanding Player award of the 2013 NCAA Midwest Regional after scoring 31 points against Oregon and 23 points against Duke.

A 6-0 guard from Brooklyn, New York, Smith was a part of the second-most successful four-year period in the Cardinals’ storied basketball history, helping Louisville win 121 games from 2010-14 (121-31, .796). He helped the Cardinals reach two NCAA Final Fours, two Big East Tournament Championships and one with the American Athletic Conference, two regular season co-conference titles (one Big East, one American), three straight NCAA Sweet 16 appearances and the 2013 national title (later vacated).

Following his collegiate career, Smith was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round of the 2014 NBA Draft with the 47th overall pick, and was subsequently traded to the New Orleans Pelicans. He played in the NBA with New Orleans and the Memphis Grizzlies, and has played professional basketball in Turkey and China, as well as with G League teams Iowa Energy, Delaware 87ers and Fort Wayne Mad Ants, where he is currently playing.

“David Padgett was an exceptional player and has been an outstanding young coach for the Cardinals,” said UofL Interim President Greg Postel. “His familiarity with the players and the current system, combined with his character and work ethic, make him a natural fit for the position. We look forward to a successful year under his leadership.”

Postel noted that Padgett had the strong support of the current Cardinals team.

Padgett was UofL’s director of basketball operations for two seasons (2014-16) before his move to an assistant coaching position in 2016.  He becomes just the third head coach for the Cardinals in the last 46 years, following Rick Pitino (2001-17) and Denny Crum (1971-2001).

In his three seasons on the UofL staff, the Cardinals have produced a collective 75-26 record (.743), finished among the top four teams in the ACC in each year and reached the NCAA Elite Eight in 2015. Last year, UofL posted a 25-9 record, tied for second in the ACC and earned a No. 10 ranking in the final Associated Press poll. Padgett helped the Cardinals assemble a top 10 recruiting class in 2017.  UofL’s class was ranked seventh in the nation by ESPN, Rivals and 247Sports, while the Cardinals were 10th in Scout.com. rankings.

Before joining the UofL staff, Padgett spent three years as an assistant coach at IUPUI from 2011 to 2014. He served a year as assistant strength coach with the Cardinals in 2010-11 as UofL posted a 25-10 mark, beat seven ranked teams and reached the title game of the Big East Championship.

Padgett played professional basketball for UB LaPalma in the Canary Islands for two years following his graduation from UofL. He had reached the final preseason cut of the Miami Heat before his playing career in Spain.

A three-year starter and captain at center for the Cardinals (2005-08), Padgett was a unanimous first-team All-Big East Conference selection as a senior and earned USBWA All-District IV honors. He averaged a team-leading 11.2 points and grabbed 4.8 rebounds his senior year in 2007-08 when the Cardinals reached the NCAA Elite Eight.

Padgett ranks second in career field goal percentage at UofL, hitting 61.3 percent of his shots (332-542). His .667 field goal percentage as a senior was the second best ever at UofL. He set a Big East Conference field goal percentage record for league games as a senior, hitting 68.3 percent of his shots in the 18 games (86-of-126). He was a second team All-Big East pick as a junior.

A McDonald’s All-American in high school in Reno, Nevada, Padgett played his freshman collegiate season at Kansas before transferring to Louisville. He was the 2003 Nevada Player of the Year and the top rated center in that year’s recruiting class. He was a member of the 2004 USA Basketball Junior World Championship Qualifying Team that claimed a gold medal.

Padgett’s basketball bloodlines run deep as his father played at the University of Nevada and his uncle played at New Mexico. His grandfather Jim played for Oregon State and his sister played for the University of San Diego.

Padgett and his wife, Megan, have two sons: Nolan, born in August 2013; and Gavin, born in May 2016.

Watch the press conference announcing Padgett below: