Baylor

Jason Smith enters his first season as the General Manager of Baylor men’s basketball in 2024-25 after joining the Baylor Basketball staff as director of recruiting operations on June 3, 2021.

Some of the most successful recruiting classes in program history have come during Smith’s tenure at the helm of recruiting operations. BU’s signing classes have never finished below No. 17 during his tenure, while Smith and company just put the finishing touches on a consensus top-10 class, rated as high as No. 4 by On3.com and ESPN.com.

The 2024-25 season is his 11th working with the Baylor Men’s Basketball program, after spending seven seasons with the team from 2007-08 through 2013-14.

Smith joined Baylor Basketball as a student manager during his freshman year in 2007, and four years later, he became a graduate assistant for the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons. He was elevated to a full-time role as special assistant to the head coach for the 2013-14 season.

Since returning to the staff, the Bears have amassed a 74-29 record and a Big 12 Championship. During his first seven seasons with the team, Baylor posted a combined 170-81 record, including a 17-5 postseason mark. Combined, Smith has seen the Bears compile a 220-99 record while on staff. The Bears made six NCAA Tournament appearances, including three Sweet 16s and two Elite Eights, and twice advanced to the NIT championship game, winning the title in 2013. BU made its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 20 seasons during his 2008 debut season; the Bears advanced to the Elite Eight in 2010 and 2012 and made a Sweet 16 appearance in 2014.

Between his two stints on the basketball staff, Smith was co-founder of D1 Design Group, a custom design and fabrication company focusing on college athletics offices and locker rooms.

A Somonauk, Ill., native, Smith holds both a bachelor’s degree (2011) and a master’s in sports management (2013) from Baylor. He is married to the former Lauren Phillips, who has worked for Baylor Athletics since 2012 and currently serves as Baylor’s assistant to the director of intercollegiate athletics.