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GREENSBORO — When Gene Banks arrived at Smith High School as the Eagles’ new boys basketball coach Tuesday, he embraced the school’s athletics history while reflecting on a personal history that made this the right job at the right time.

"It’s not necessarily the job I really want," Banks said. "It’s the job I was placed here to do."

Banks, 48, believes there was even a little heavenly intervention from his late wife.

A week after Charlie Barnes took over as Smith’s athletics director this spring, coach Reggie Peace resigned to return to Lee County. A mutual friend suggested Banks, the one-time basketball star who had left the housing projects of Philadelphia for a Duke education.

That friend, Anthony Jones, had grown up in Greensboro with Banks’ wife, Isabelle, who died in 1997.

"To make a long story short," Banks said, "my wife still protects me. She wants me here."

Banks made a promise to Isabelle before she succumbed to multiple sclerosis that he’d stay in Greensboro to raise their daughters India and Bianca with help from Isabelle’s mother, Connie Johnson.

He turned down a job offer from the San Antonio Spurs a few months later, calling it an easy decision. In recent years, Banks passed on a couple of offers to return to West Philadelphia.

At Smith, Banks will work in the school’s student activities and intervention programs until he earns his teacher’s certification.

"It was a perfect fit," principal Noah Rogers said.

Barnes, who was assistant AD at Page for nine years, saw a lot of himself in Banks. One was from the inner city, the other from rural Kings Mountain. But both came from no money and got to college through hard work and strong support systems.

Banks, wearing a green Smith baseball cap, told his story to his players Tuesday. He promised them they’d study harder than they ever had and that all would graduate. He did not promise 20 victories. The Eagles are coming off a 10-16 season.

"We’re going to be a great team, we’re going to be a competitive team, we’re going to win," Banks said. "But I don’t care if we win or lose, it’s about getting you guys to go on to earn your degrees. ... You do what you’re supposed to do, you will be rewarded."

Banks, who left Duke in 1981 with a degree in history, has devoted much of his time to motivational speaking and mentoring underprivileged youth.

He wants to inspire an appreciation for Smith’s history — and a little old-fashioned school pride — by honoring the great athletes who have passed through the school’s halls over the years, names like Bob McAdoo, Vince Evans and the Bostic brothers.

His personal tie? Late football coach Tony McKee is a cousin by marriage.

Banks surely will be one of the few faculty members at Smith with some fluency in both Spanish and Hebrew.

He has his pro basketball career to thank for that. A two-time All-American at Duke, Banks played in France, Israel and Argentina for about 10 years after a ruptured Achilles tendon ended his NBA career in 1987.

Banks portrayed a New York Knicks assistant coach in the 1996 movie "Eddie," which earned him membership in the Screen Actors Guild.

His first coaching gig was with the semi-pro Carolina Cardinals in Winston-Salem. He coached the women’s team at Division II Bluefield State from 1988-89, was a player-coach at times overseas, then got back into coaching at Division III Bennett College from 2000-02.

Banks had no staff and enjoyed little support at Bennett. He expects much better from the Smith community. He expects his team to reciprocate.

"The world is watching," Banks told the players gathered around him Tuesday. "You’re going to set the tone for this school."

Contact Jeff Carlton at 373-7065 or jcarlton@news-record.com