Some of Coach Shaka Smart’s former Virginia Commonwealth University fans might not recognize the former Rams coach nowadays in a crowd.

At the very least, his new appearance as coach for the University of Texas might make them do a double take.

After years of clipping his hair close to the noggin G.I. style, the 43-year-old Coach Smart has let his hair grow.

His curly, wavy look drew much conversation and social media commentary at the Camping World Maui Invitational, which was played Nov. 30 through Dec. 2 at Harrah’s Cherokee Center in Asheville, N.C., this year instead of in Hawaii because of the pandemic.

“I only did it because my wife (Maya) and daughter (Zora) asked me to,” Coach Smart told the media in Western North Carolina. “They wanted me to show I’m not a member of the George Costanza club for hair-challenged men.”

Coach Smart was previously bald by choice, not by nature. He always had a full head of hair, even if his follicles were less than a quarter-inch long.

Costanza, a character on the television sitcom “Seinfeld,” was played by balding actor Jason Alexander.

At the Maui Invitational, Coach Smart’s Big 12 Conference squad defeated Davidson College, Indiana University and the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill to win the tournament. In defeating UNC 69-67 in the finals, you might say Coach Smart’s team won by a hair.

Following a 68-64 nationally televised loss to Villanova University on Dec. 6, Texas has fallen to 4-1.

At VCU, a close-cropped Coach Smart went 163-56 from 2009 to 2015, with a trip to the 2011 NCAA Final Four. Since moving to Austin, Texas, his teams are 94-79 and a disappointing 40-50 against Big 12 opponents.

The home game against Villanova was the first time Longhorns fans had the chance to see their coach sporting a new look on campus at the Frank C. Erwin Jr. Center.

At least one sign read “Fear the Fro.”