The Detroit Pistons nominee for Jr. NBA coach of the year had to give up playing basketball because of a heart condition. The diagnosis came during Shae Smith’s freshman year at Concordia College. She couldn’t walk away, which led to her next act, becoming a youth basketball coach and trainer before turning 21. Smith said it’s not a major reach. “The only difference is I can’t physically put the ball in the hoop,” she said with a laugh. “I’m still yelling, I’m still communicating, I’m still interacting, I’m still making sure my boys have water. I’m still having every quality of a basketball player except putting the ball in the hoop.”