Roan Mountain, Tennessee native Sonny Smith was a head basketball coach for 22 seasons where he mentored and coached NBA Hall of Fame player Charles Barkley and NBA legend Chuck Person.
Smith served as a basketball head coach for 22 seasons. Best known as the head coach at Auburn from 1978 to 1989, he also coached at East Tennessee State (1976–1978), finishing with a 30-23 record and VCU (1989–1998).