Chuck Martin to Kentucky: Former Ducks assistant coach joins the Wildcats Men's basketball team for the 2023 season

The Wildcats have finalized their coaching staff for the 2023-24 season, adding Chuck Martin as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. Martin, who was with Oregon last season, was also a part of head coach John Calipari's staff at Memphis in 2006-07.

Martin brings over 20 years of coaching experience to Kentucky, including five seasons as the head coach at Marist from 2008 to 2013. He has also been an assistant at Indiana, St. John’s, Drexel, UMass, and Manhattan.

“I’m extremely excited to be reunited with Coach Cal,” Martin said in a press release. “I’m looking forward to joining his tremendous staff and being a part of something greater than myself.”

Welcome our new assistant coach Chuck Martin!

📝 bit.ly/43cEPhN https://t.co/KKWltEhmLW

Calipari lauded Martin’s experience and the impact that he could have on the program’s recruiting, and said:

“Chuck is a veteran in this profession who will be a great benefit to our team and staff. Chuck is an established coach who will be our assistant coach and recruiting coordinator, looking to open new doors to make our successful recruiting even stronger.”

Chuck Martin brings SEC experience to Kentucky basketball

Chuck Martin to join Kentucky Wildcats as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator

Martin is expected to help the program grow, advise on all matters, oversee visits, and spearhead the recruiting efforts for the Wildcats.

Martin will also have an on-court coaching role, helping develop the players and prepare them for games. He will join Orlando Antigua and Ronald Coleman as Calipari’s assistants, forming a formidable trio of coaches with strong ties to each other and to Calipari.

Martin will bring his knowledge of the SEC, where he coached for five seasons under Frank Martin (no relation) at South Carolina. He helped the Gamecocks reach their first Final Four in program history in 2017.

His arrival is expected to boost Kentucky’s chances of landing some of the top recruits in the 2024 class, such as Brennan Canada, Daimion Collins, and Grant Darbyshire.

Martin will also play a key role in developing the current roster, which features several returning players from last season’s 22-12 campaign (3rd in SEC), as well as a talented incoming class that includes Cutter Boley, Daimion Collins, Terhyon Nichols, and Elijah Groves.

Martin is eager to help the Wildcats achieve their goals. He said:

“I’m honored and humbled by this opportunity. I can’t wait to get started.”