Kurt Karis is in his second season (2025-26) as an assistant coach at SMU and his eighth working with Head Coach Andy Enfield, including the previous six seasons at USC.
In his first season on the Hilltop, he helped lead the Mustangs to a 24-11 overall record and earned a No. 1 seed in the NIT. The Mustangs went 13-7 in the program’s inaugural season in the ACC to tie for fourth and also won the Acrisure Holiday Invitational. The Mustangs were one of just two teams in the nation with six players averaging at least 9.9 points and one of just eight teams in the NCAA top 50 for field goal percentage and field goal defense. SMU signed the nation’s fourth-ranked high school recruiting class, which is the best in program history.
Karis was an assistant coach on the USC staff in 2023-24 after the previous three seasons as director of scouting and two seasons as a graduate assistant. He earned his Master’s in Communication Management in 2020. He also earned his undergraduate degree from USC in Communication.
Karis spent three seasons as a student-athlete with USC basketball (2015-18), and was a back-up guard for the Trojans. That was following two years at Chicago State (2013-15).Â
Karis played his high school ball at Glenbrook North in Northbrook, Illinois, where he averaged 17 points and seven assists as a senior. He was named all-conference his final three seasons at Glenbrook North and was named the team MVP his final two seasons. He helped lead his team to conference titles each of his final three seasons.
Karis is one of 10 children.
Updated: May 9, 2025
