Dear Raider Nation,
I am excited to officially announce Coach Ben Smith as the next Head Boys Basketball Coach at Alpharetta High School.
Throughout this process, Coach Smith consistently stood out for his vision, leadership, energy, and commitment to building a program that reflects the values of Alpharetta High School. Beyond his basketball knowledge and experience, what impressed us most was his ability to connect purpose, relationships, accountability, and long-term program building into a clear vision for our student-athletes and community.
Coach Smith brings with him an outstanding basketball résumé at every level of the game. A native of Dublin, Georgia, he was a state championship player and Georgia Player of the Year before going on to a historic career at Jacksonville University, where he became the program’s all-time leader in assists, steals, minutes played, and free throws made. He is a member of both the Jacksonville University Hall of Fame and the Atlantic Sun Hall of Fame, and he spent seven years playing professionally overseas.
As a coach, he has already proven himself as a program builder and leader. At Dublin High School, he led his alma mater to sustained excellence, including multiple region championships and a combined 75–14 record over three seasons. His teams were defined by discipline, toughness, and consistency, including back-to-back undefeated region championship seasons and deep state playoff runs.
Most recently at Baldwin High School, Coach Smith made an immediate impact, earning Region Coach of the Year honors and leading his team to a region championship in his first season while helping establish a championship standard within the program.
Coach Smith believes deeply in leading with love, earning trust, and investing fully in the lives of his players both on and off the court. He is committed to building a culture centered around toughness, discipline, character, and pride in representing Alpharetta at the highest level. His passion for developing young men and creating a championship-level standard aligns strongly with the direction we want for Raider Athletics.
What became clear during the interview process is that Coach Smith is not simply focused on winning games; he is focused on building a program that our students, families, alumni, and community can rally around for years to come. He understands that sustained success is built through relationships, consistency, visibility, and daily investment in people.
Coach Smith brings tremendous energy, proven success, and a championship pedigree to Alpharetta Basketball. He embraces the challenge of elevating our program and is eager to become an active and visible part of Raider Nation. His experience as a player, his success as a coach, and his vision for excellence, both on the court and in life, position him to elevate Alpharetta Basketball to new heights.
Please join me in welcoming Coach Ben Smith and his family to Alpharetta High School.
The future is bright for Raider Basketball.
All In, All Raider.
Alejandro Romero, Ed.S
Athletic Director | Alpharetta High School
