It would appear one big question about the next iteration of Carolina Basketball has been answered.
Multiple reports on Wednesday have indicated that current Arkansas assistant coach Chuck Martin is about to move over to UNC as Associate Head Coach. He would become the first notable addition to the Michael Malone staff.
It’s been assumed that Sean May is staying on board as he had been named checked by Malone in multiple instances, as is Pat Sullivan for the same reason and their prior working relationship.
Now, though, the first real outside voice addition appears to be coming to Chapel Hill.
Martin is a long time assistant coach, having had the role in one way or another since 2014 at places like Indiana, South Carolina, Oregon, Kentucky, and Arkansas. His last three years have been spent with John Calipari in his last year at Kentucky and first two at Arkansas. He also worked with Cal as an assistant from 2006-08. He did have one head coaching stint at Marist College, but he ultimately moved on and spent a year with Oklahoma City as a scout before moving back as an assistant.
He also isn’t a new face to Malone, as the two were assistant coaches at the same time at Manhattan College for one season in 1999-2000. Obviously both have had different careers since that time, however the addition is an important one as Martin has been cited multiple times by Calipari and Arkansas as a big reason for the Razorbacks having a top five recruiting class. This season Arkansas made it to the Sweet Sixteen as a four seed before bowing out to Final Four bound Arizona. Arkansas also won the SEC Tournament heading into the postseason and finished third in the conference this past season.
In short, Martin brings the type of pedigree to the bench that fans were hoping when the new head coach had spent almost his entire career in the NBA. May and Sullivan still being on the bench will allow for some continuity for those who had been recruited and who choose to stay, but it’s clear with the title that Malone will be treating Martin much like Roy Williams viewed Steve Robinson.
It is worth noting that 24/7’s second ranked player, Jordan Smith, Jr, isn’t yet signed to Arkansas. It is important to note, however, that Martin is not noted as the lead recruiter for Smith. Arkansas’ other two recruits have signed, and the trio has combined to give Arkansas the seventh ranked class so far according to 24/7, and they get credit for the fifth best in composite. That sort of skill will be desperately needed as Michael Malone navigates player acquisition at the college level, which is something he never really had to worry about as an NBA coach.
There’s no word on when the announcement will be official, and there is also no word on if there are any others that are planned on being added to the staff. Nevertheless, it would appear that Malone and Carolina were serious about their commitment to going hard from the start.
