Smith and Christian crossed paths when the new Bryant coach was an upstart leader for Mount St. Mary's University for six seasons. Bryant, then playing in the Northeast Conference, saw Christian lead the Mount to the NCAA Tournament in 2017.

Christian will succeed Phil Martelli Jr.,who left Smithfield to take over the head coaching duties at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Bryant has hired Jamion Christian to replace Phil Martelli Jr. as its men’s basketball coach. Christian will move to the Rhode Island school after spending the last two seasons as coach of Pallacanestro Trieste of the Italian Professional Basketball League.