Relationships are the name of the game for Shaka Smart, and his newest men’s basketball assistant coach acutely reflects that.

Smart reunited with one of his former assistants, Jeremy Ballard, the program announced Tuesday afternoon. Ballard served on Smart’s staff at Virginia Commonwealth from 2012-15.

Ballard joins Marquette after spending eight seasons as head coach of Florida International until they parted ways in March.

“Jeremy Ballard is one of the best coaches I have been around in 27 years in college basketball,” Smart said in a release from Marquette athletics. “He will add value to our program in a wide variety of ways.”

Along with VCU, Ballard spent 14 years as an assistant coach at Colgate, Tulsa, Illinois State and Pittsburgh.

“I am beyond grateful to Coach Smart and Marquette University for this incredible opportunity to join a national championship program,” Ballard said in the release.

“I’m thrilled to reconnect with Coach Smart and help him and the staff on the quest for winning championships and maintaining a championship culture.”

Smart lost two members of his staff this offseason after Nevada Smith became the head coach at Siena and De’Andre Haynes quietly left the program after the season ended. Haynes was internally suspended for two games last year after what Smart called a “team matter.”

This story was written by Jack Albright. He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter/X @JackAlbrightMU.