Wichita State Basketball

Wichita State athletic director Darron Boatright announced Tuesday men's head basketball coach Gregg Marshall has resigned amid an investigation into abuse allegations made against him by former players.

Marshall, who will receive a $7.75 million buyout paid out over six years, released a statement about his departure:

"This was a difficult decision, but one I feel was necessary for my family, the university and, most importantly, the student-athletes. I remain grateful for my years spent at Wichita State. I wish to thank the coaches, student-athletes, the university, the community, and all of Shocker Nation for their unending dedication, support and loyalty. I am incredibly proud of this men's basketball program and all it has achieved over the past 14 years and am confident of its continued success."

Boatright added:

"Our student-athletes are our primary concern. While the university acknowledges the success of the basketball program under Coach Marshall, this decision is in the best interest of the university, its student athletes and the WSU community. WSU will continue its pursuit of excellence with the help of its student-athletes, staff and loyal supporters of the basketball program."

Assistant coach Isaac Brown will take over the program on an interim basis ahead of the 2020-21 season.

In October, CJ Moore and Dana O'Neil of The Athletic reported Wichita State launched an internal investigation into claims Marshall was physically abusive toward players and coaches and verbally abusive to both members of the Shockers program and other members of the school community.

Marshall allegedly attacked former player Shaq Morris after Morris challenged a shot in practice during the 2015-16 season. Marshall allegedly shoved Morris in the back and then, after kicking him out of practice, followed him out of the gym and punched him from behind on the upper back by the neck, according to The Athletic.

The report alleges he also put his hands around the neck of a staff member after a poor practice session during the same season.

Marshall was known for his "combativeness" throughout the athletic department, including an instance where he yelled at a student-athlete from another sport and attempted to punch him through the car window for parking in the coach's designated spot on campus, per The Athletic.

"It wasn't just players—the academic people, the marketing, everybody. If you had to associate with Wichita State basketball, you got caught in the crossfire," a former player said. "I lost respect for him because I saw the way he treated my teammates and other people."

Marshall released a statement after the allegations became public last month:

Gregg Marshall releases statement through his agent. pic.twitter.com/Zj4Qe2qEXJ

— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) October 9, 2020

The 57-year-old South Carolina native took over the Wichita State program in 2007 after a decade as head coach at Winthrop, which was his first job leading a staff.

He posted a 331-121 record (.732 winning percentage) across 13 seasons with the Shockers. They earned seven straight NCAA tournament appearances beginning in 2012 and reached the Final Four in 2013. Wichita State also won the NIT in 2011.

Marshall led Winthrop to a 194-83 record (.700) in nine years.

Brown joined the Shockers' staff in 2014. This will be his first career head coaching opportunity.

Gregg Marshall's time as the Wichita State men's basketball coach is coming to an end after 13 seasons.

According to Jeff Goodman of Stadium, Wichita State is expected to "part ways" with him by the end of the week.

A source has confirmed this to @CBSSports. The expectation at this point is that Gregg Marshall will not be employed by Wichita State in the coming day(s). https://t.co/i1n5fiukFK

— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) November 11, 2020

This decision comes after a number of shocking allegations regarding physical and verbal abuse by Marshall toward players and others inside the athletic department surfaced. On Oct. 9, Wichita State released a statement acknowledging the allegations and explaining there was an independent investigation:

"The investigation is being completed in an expeditious and deliberate manner. We have received full cooperation from university staff, coaches, and current student-athletes, and Coach Gregg Marshall and support any individual who chooses to participate in order to conduct a fair, impartial and thorough investigation.

"In the interim, activities of the team will continue as scheduled, and, as it does regularly, the university has reminded all staff, coaches and student-athletes of relevant policies and channels for reporting concerns."

Marshall also released a statement through his agent in which he defended himself and explained he would cooperate with the investigation, per Goodman:

Gregg Marshall releases statement through his agent. pic.twitter.com/Zj4Qe2qEXJ

— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) October 9, 2020

Goodman reported on the allegations of abuse, noting he contacted 36 former and current members of the basketball program, including 26 players, who had experience with Marshall and detailed patterns of physical and verbal abuse that also included alleged instances of racism.

Among the most notable allegations was Shaq Morris saying Marshall punched him twice during a 2015 practice.

"Shaq Morris told me that he informed Gregg Marshall that his mother had cancer just hours prior to Marshall punching him in the head in practice," Goodman wrote.

"I love my teammates, the city and Wichita State," Morris said. "But if I could go back to that day when he punched me, I would have left."

The Stadium report also detailed allegations that Marshall choked assistant coach Kyle Lindsted during the 2016-17 season, told Isaiah Poor Bear-Chandler, who is of Native American descent, "to get back on his horse" and make "Indian howling noises" during the 2018-19 season, and told Jamie Echenique, who is from Colombia, that he would be "a great coffee bean picker" when he struggled on the court.

"We were tight-knit off the court," a player said. "We all wanted to beat Marshall up. If he wasn't the head coach, we'd whoop his ass. I'm not a fan. I'm not rooting for him. I got tired of being mother(bleeped) and being called a son of a bitch every day."

Goodman noted 10 players transferred away from Wichita State in just the last two years, which was almost double the national average.

CJ Moore and Dana O'Neil of The Athletic also reported on the allegations of misconduct and abuse, including an instance in which a student-athlete allegedly parked in Marshall's spot, which angered the coach and led to a frightening encounter:

"As Marshall approached his spot that day, he did not get there fast enough to block the student in. Instead, Marshall quickly turned his car around and followed the student's car, eventually blocking his car at an intersection in the parking lot. According to an eyewitness, Marshall got out of his car and started yelling at the student, asking 'Do you know who the f--k I am?' 

"The student had his window down and responded, 'I don't give a f--k who you are.' Marshall approached the car and, according to the eyewitness, attempted to punch the student through the driver's window."

One former player suggested more than just members of the basketball team knew about Marshall's reputation.

"It wasn't just players—the academic people, the marketing, everybody," he said. "If you had to associate with Wichita State basketball, you got caught in the crossfire. I lost respect for him because I saw the way he treated my teammates and other people."

Marshall was the head coach at Winthrop from 1998-99 through 2006-07 before coming to Wichita State and finished his time there with a 194-83 record and seven NCAA tournament appearances.

The Shockers hired him going into the 2007-08 campaign, and he quickly built them into a winning program. He went 11-20 in his first season but was 29-8 by his fourth, underscoring his ability as a coach when it came to wins and losses.

In all, Marshall finished with a 331-121 record at Wichita State and made seven NCAA tournaments. The Shockers also reached the 2013 Final Four during his tenure.

Wichita State men's basketball coach Gregg Marshall "unequivocally" denied physically assaulting players in a statement to The Wichita Eagle on Tuesday evening. 

Marshall is currently under investigation by the WSU athletic department after multiple allegations of player abuse were published by The Athletic's C.J. Moore and Dana O'Neil as well as Jeff Goodman of Stadium last week. 

“In response to the allegations put forward in the media, I simply state unequivocally that I have never physically struck a player or colleague,” Marshall told The Eagle. “Allegations claiming otherwise are false.”

Marshall has been accused of hitting former player Shaquille Morris twice during a 2015 practice as well as choking former assistant Kyle Lindsted at a practice during the 2016-17 season.

Both instances were detailed in reports by The Athletic and Stadium with The Eagle confirming the allegations with multiple players who wished to remain anonymous. 

Per Taylor Eldridge of The Eagle:

"The Eagle independently contacted five former players, who also asked to remain anonymous, who said that Marshall punched Morris in the back of the head and that the coach put his hand around the throat of Lindsted.

"Marshall reiterated that he is fully cooperating with the independent investigation by Tueth Keeney, a St. Louis-based law firm. But Marshall voiced his concerns about how the allegations are being handled by media.

"It is important that the investigation conclude its work without outside influence," Marshall said. "An unrelenting character assassination by a member of the media that repeatedly targets me and my family threatens to undermine the impartiality of the investigation."

The 57-year-old coach has also been accused of verbally assaulting various student-athletes around the athletic department.

Multiple basketball players transferred from WSU in recent years reportedly due to Marshall's behavior. 

“I am devoted to my team and the entire Shocker community,” Marshall said. “I value my players and believe in their potential. If there is any question of my love for my team, it’s my responsibility to do a better job of demonstrating my commitment.”

Marshall remains the head coach of the Shockers. There is no known timeline for the conclusion of the investigation.

Wichita State men's basketball coach Gregg Marshall released a statement Friday denying allegations of physical and verbal abuse toward players and staff members.

Jeff Goodman of Stadium provided the full statement:

Gregg Marshall releases statement through his agent. pic.twitter.com/Zj4Qe2qEXJ

— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) October 9, 2020

CJ Moore and Dana O'Neil of The Athletic reported Thursday that Marshall's actions were the focus of an internal investigation by the school that's included interviews with current and former Shockers players.

During the 2015-16 preseason, Marshall allegedly berated a staff member after what he considered a poor training session with a group of players and then "put one of his hands around his neck."

Marshall allegedly engaged in a confrontation with Shockers forward Shaquille Morris after he tried to block a shot in practice during the regular season. He allegedly told him to "get the f--k out of practice" and "punched Morris between the shoulders near his neck" from behind as Morris left.

The Athletic report said the coach's "combativeness was well known" within the athletic department and provided a comment from an anonymous former player who said he's speaking out to protect future Wichita State players.

"This thing's been going on before I came around, and no one warned me," he said. "For me, it's about helping the next kid. I wouldn't be telling this if I didn't think it was going to help somebody."

In addition, sources told Goodman that Marshall "routinely physically and verbally abused members of the program and demeaned his players with ethnic and racial slurs."

"He doesn't know how to treat people," a former player told Goodman. "I felt like I wasn't playing for him, but that I was playing against him. He f--ked me up mentally."

Marshall has led the Wichita State basketball team since 2007. He'd previously guided the Winthrop program for a decade beginning in 1998 after 14 years as an assistant at four different schools.

The 57-year-old South Carolina native has posted a 331-121 record (.732 winning percentage) and earned seven NCAA tournament appearances with the Shockers. His $3.6 million in total pay ranked 15th among college basketball coaches for 2020, per USA Today.

Wichita State issued a statement saying the investigation would be completed in an "expeditious and deliberate manner."

Wichita State is reportedly investigating men's basketball coach Gregg Marshall for alleged misconduct.

CJ Moore and Dana O'Neil of The Athletic reported the news Thursday, noting Marshall confirmed the investigation. Marshall said, "I'm aware the university conducted interviews and I fully participated in the process. I look forward to having it wrapped up as I continue to focus my energy on our team."

Moore and O'Neil provided some background, pointing out six scholarship players and a walk-on transferred last spring. What's more, 2020 commit Ja'Dun Michael also asked out of his letter of intent with the program.

Marshall's erratic behavior was apparently well known throughout the athletic department.

"It wasn't just players—the academic people, the marketing, everybody," one former player said. "If you had to associate with Wichita State basketball, you got caught in the crossfire. I lost respect for him because I saw the way he treated my teammates and other people."

Many of the most alarming allegations in the report from Moore and O'Neil are from the 2015-16 season.

Marshall allegedly told Shaq Morris to "get the f--k out of practice" after he attempted to block a Zach Brown shot. "Brown fell awkwardly on the play," according to The Athletic, which apparently sparked Marshall to shove Morris in the back and then punch him between the shoulders by his neck as he was leaving practice.

What's more, a student-athlete allegedly parked in Marshall's spot, which drew the ire of the coach. Moore and O'Neil detailed the allegations:

"As Marshall approached his spot that day, he did not get there fast enough to block the student in. Instead, Marshall quickly turned his car around and followed the student's car, eventually blocking his car at an intersection in the parking lot. According to an eyewitness, Marshall got out of his car and started yelling at the student, asking 'Do you know who the f--k I am?' 

"The student had his window down and responded, 'I don't give a f--k who you are.' Marshall approached the car and, according to the eyewitness, attempted to punch the student through the driver's window."

Marshall also allegedly put his hands around a staff member's neck in another incident.

Jeff Goodman of Stadium also reported on the story, noting more than 30 current and former members of the basketball program detailed allegations of Marshall's verbal and physical abuse that also included racist slurs.

"I love my teammates, the city and Wichita State," Morris said, per Goodman. "But if I could go back to that day when he punched me, I would have left."

Goodman added more details and also reported Marshall allegedly choked assistant coach Kyle Lindsted:

Shaq Morris told me that he informed Gregg Marshall that his mother had cancer just hours prior to Marshall punching him in the head in practice. https://t.co/W5R2NpQ2VU

— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) October 9, 2020

The Stadium report also detailed allegations of the head coach telling forward Isaiah Poor Bear-Chandler, who is of Native American descent, "to get back on his horse" and make "Indian howling noises," among other accusations of racism.

"We were tight-knit off the court," one player said. "We all wanted to beat Marshall up. If he wasn't the head coach, we'd whoop his ass. I'm not a fan. I'm not rooting for him. I got tired of being mother(bleeped) and being called a son of a bitch every day."

Marshall has been the head coach for Wichita State since the 2007-08 season and has built the smaller program into a national contender.

The Shockers went to the Final Four in 2013 and have five regular-season conference crowns and seven NCAA tournament appearances under Marshall.

Marshall also coached at Winthrop from 1998-99 through 2006-07.

It's mid-May, and Landry Shamet is preparing for the beginning of his life.

Well, the beginning of his NBA life, at least.

In Chicago at the NBA Draft Combine, the 6'5", 190-pound guard has spent the past few days trying to dispel concerns over his ability to defend both backcourt spots in the pros. Then he'll pack his bags to return to Thousand Oaks, California, where he spent a month-and-a-half chasing around De'Aaron Fox and fine-tuning his offensive tools at Sports Academy HQ. From there, he'll spend the next few weeks living out of his luggage, going city-to-city showcasing his skills and interviewing for NBA teams.

If all goes according to plan—B/R's Jonathan Wasserman projects him to be selected early in the second round—Shamet will be the fourth player from Wichita State to make it to the NBA since 2014. And there's reason to believe he could be one of the best-fitting prospects the program has produced.

While he didn't have many chances to showcase his athleticism while playing off the ball and firing into open spaces at Wichita State, he did show that he may be the draft's best shooter. He shot 44.2 percent from three-point range last season, which could make him a prized asset in an NBA now built on floor spacing.

And with a toughness that runs through the bloodlines of those recruited by the Shockers, it's easy to see why Shamet should hear NBA Commissioner Adam Silver call his name on June 21.

Until then, there are myriad things he can't control and just as many that could be going through his head. However, he seemed at peace amid the run-up to the draft. He took time out during the combine to ask his Twitter followers what they considered to be the best barbecue spot in his hometown of Kansas City, Missouri. His personal preference, Joe's, was the easy favorite over three other selections.

To understand Shamet's level of calm during one of the most chaotic times in life for any prospect, you need to understand what brought him to this point.

His grandfather, Dennis, had to tell him only once when he was a child to keep his elbow under the ball on his shot. ("From there," Shamet says, "I never had my elbow out.") His mother, Melanie, would ring her arms into a hoop so he could shoot during halftimes of his uncle's basketball games at Park Hill High School, which Shamet would later attend. With the help of some steady guidance from teammates Fred VanVleet and Ron Baker, Wichita State head coach Gregg Marshall pushed him to learn and improve despite his redshirting as a freshman and suffering injuries to both of his feet.

From when he first began walking at nearly 10 months old, Melanie never had to worry much about her son.

"I kept waiting for the day where I might have payback for how [difficult a child] I was growing up," she says. "It just never happened."

Behind Shamet is a mother who wouldn't allow for excuses even though she suffered the financial struggles all too familiar for many single parents. She has worked at Harrah's Casino for as long as Landry has been alive. With his developing schedule, there isn't a shift there she hasn't worked. Her family watched over him when she needed to pick up double shifts and overtime.

"When I was being recruited, she actually took another role at Harrah's, so if I went far away, she could see all of my games," Shamet says. "That's the type of selfless person she is. That's why she's my motivation, because of how she's always put me first."

When Marshall began recruiting Shamet, he knew he was getting a young man with maturity beyond his years. There were times in middle school when Melanie would work nights and Landry would be tasked with not only completing his homework, but also preparing himself dinner and getting to bed on time. That maturity allowed Marshall to put the same faith in Shamet as he did with VanVleet and Baker.

"You don't have to worry about those guys making bad choices," Marshall told B/R. "You need those guys to go to class, be good people, work on their games, and that's what they did."

And with Shamet, Marshall soon realized: "We weren't getting a kid that was just drifting. Landry's always known what he's wanted, and he's always worked to achieve that."

He also soon came to understand what he had in Shamet as a player.

When Shamet notched a 20-point performance in a 2017 second-round NCAA tournament loss to Fox's Kentucky squad, Marshall felt everyone else would start catching on to how good he was. Last December's 30-point outing in a road win against Oklahoma State confirmed it.

Melanie, of course, had seen it for a lot longer. She remembers how Landry always told her that he was going to the NBA. She knew he was talented and never discouraged him from his aspirations, but she always thought the odds were too small to be a sure thing.

When he began hearing the buzz after the loss to Kentucky and noticed an increase in scouts in the stands, he never allowed his mind to drift from his responsibilities at Wichita State last year.

"I thought that would be unfair to my teammates, coaches and the fans of Wichita State," Shamet said.

After allowing himself a few days to process the Shockers' first-round upset loss to Marshall in this year's tournament, Shamet knew he had gained all he had needed from the program and made the decision to declare for the draft.

He mentioned helping make life a little easier for his mom as playing a role in his decision. For her part, she's proud of her work in helping him have better opportunities than she had, and she only wants him to have what he's worked hard for. Of all the things Shamet has to be proud of, he's most happy with how he was raised.

"No matter how great of a basketball player someone feels I am, I will argue that I'm a better person," he says. "That's my mom speaking through me."

There will be tears from Melanie on June 21. But as it was when he left home for Wichita, she won't have to worry about him.

"Landry's always known what he's wanted, and he's always worked to achieve that," Marshall says. "All he wants to do is be a great player and provide for his family."

        

Christopher Cason is a Chicago-based writer. He's written for GQ, SLAM magazine and The Athletic. Follow him on Twitter: @C4DUNK.

Oklahoma knocked off No. 3 Wichita State with an impressive 91-83 win at Charles Koch Arena on Saturday. 

The Sooners, who improved their record to 8-1 with the win, should find themselves included in the next Associated Press Top 25 after defeating the Shockers on the road and based on the strength of their overall performance this season. 

Trae Young carried Oklahoma's potent offense in the win. The freshman sensation scored 29 points, his eighth straight game with at least 20 points, and dished out 10 assists. 

Young came to Oklahoma with a lot of hype as the No. 23 recruit in the 2017 class, according to 247Sports. He's somehow managed to surpass even the most optimistic expectations in his still-brief college career. 

Even before this game started, ESPN Stats & Info noted Young was on pace for a historically-great scoring season:

Trae Young (28.8 PPG this season) is on pace for the most PPG in Big 12 history. pic.twitter.com/iBeXUp3ewW

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) December 16, 2017

Young was able to do something against a top-three team that hasn't been pulled off in eight years:

Trae Young is the first player with 25 points and 10 assists against an AP top-3 team since Jonny Flynn in 2009 against UConn.

Unlike Flynn, Young didn't need 6 overtimes to get there.

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) December 16, 2017

After leading the Sooners' upset over Wichita State, Young managed to raise his own hype. ESPN's Jay Williams is a big believer in what the Oklahoma native is becoming:

Real talk: Trae Young is the best player in college basketball. He is the Steph Curry of college. @espn #VideoGameLike

— Jay Williams (@RealJayWilliams) December 16, 2017

Williams' ESPN colleague Royce Young seemed to make another NBA comparison for Young:

Me watching Trae Young pic.twitter.com/kpO3oG7mUy

— Royce Young (@royceyoung) December 16, 2017

Whether Young is a Stephen Curry or Russell Westbrook type of player, it speaks volumes about how high the young star's ceiling is. 

What has made Oklahoma such an impressive team early this season is the depth around Young. Brady Manek scored a season-high 21 points, Christian James added 13 and Kameron McGusty chipped in with 13 off the bench.

The Sooners aren't perfect, however, especially on defense. They entered Saturday's game ranked 314th in the nation with 80.1 points allowed per game, a number that will go up after Wichita State put up 83. 

But head coach Lon Kruger has built one of the best scoring groups in the country. Oklahoma's 93.3 points per game ranks trails only Virginia Tech and Duke, and it hasn't scored fewer than 82 points in any game this season. 

Wichita State's loss, its second of the season after previously falling to Notre Dame on Nov. 22, does present some questions about the team being considered among the nation's elite based on the most recent poll rankings. 

The Shockers do hold a win over No. 21 Baylor, but it has yet to defeat a team currently ranked in the RPI top 50. There's plenty of time before the NCAA tournament for them to figure things out, making this defeat a good learning experience. 

Head coach Gregg Marshall has built up such an extensive resume at Wichita State, including six straight NCAA tournament appearances, that he's earned the benefit of the doubt. 

Wichita State formally accepted an invitation on Friday to join the American Athletic Conference for the start of the 2017-18 season, school president John Bardo announced on Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/President_Bardo/status/850369135481585665

"This is an event of great importance in defining the future of Wichita State," Bardo said, per a release. "Two years ago we set out on a fact-finding process to determine the best way athletics could help position the university for enrollment growth and enhance WSU's reputation as an academic and research institution."

According to Sports Illustrated's Pete Thamel and ESPN.com's Brett McMurphy, the Shockers were voted into the AAC in unanimous fashion. 

Matt Norlander of CBS Sports passed along comments from the Missouri Valley Conference about Wichita State's departure:

Statement on behalf of the Missouri Valley in wake of Wichita State’s exodus. pic.twitter.com/Z4qf4425i8

— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) April 7, 2017

McMurphy added that Wichita State will have $2.5 million of future revenue withheld as its fee for joining the AAC. 

According to Thamel, the Shockers sought to bolt from the Missouri Valley Conference in favor of the AAC "in part because of the chilly reception they've received from the NCAA tournament selection committee."

The Shockers men's basketball team, which went 30-4 during the 2016-17 regular season, entered the NCAA tournament as a No. 10 seed in the South Region despite ranking eighth overall in KenPom.com's rankings. 

By virtue of that seeding, the Shockers were unable to escape the first weekend of the tournament after a win against the Dayton Flyers set up a date with the second-seeded Kentucky Wildcats. 

Membership in the AAC should fix that problem moving forward. 

While the Shockers' resume wasn't thoroughly admired by the selection committee after they went 17-1 in conference play against the likes of Illinois State, Northern Iowa and Southern Illinois, they'll now compete with squads like SMU, Cincinnati and UConn for top billing in the AAC. 

As a point of reference, SMU (30-4, 17-1) received a No. 6 seed after sporting regular-season and conference records that were identical to the Shockers'. The Cincinnati Bearcats, meanwhile, landed a No. 6 seed after going 29-5 overall and 16-2 in conference play. 

For more news, rumors and related stories about Wichita State and NCAA basketball, check out the NCAA basketball and Wichita State streams on Bleacher Report's app.  

The American Athletic Conference will hold a vote on Wichita State's potential admission to the conference in a board of directors' call later this week, according to Pete Thamel of SI.com.

If admitted, which is the "general expectation," the Shockers would begin AAC play immediately in the 2017-18 season.

Wichita State has established itself as one of the top mid-major basketball programs in college basketball and has qualified for the NCAA tournament four straight times under head coach Gregg Marshall, reaching the Final Four in 2013. The Shockers reached the round of 32 this season as a No. 10 seed—a placement that many pundits thought was far too low for the talented Shockers—losing to No. 2 Kentucky.

Landing the Shockers would not only make the AAC a 12-member league, it would also give the conference another big-time program and more visibility. The AAC had just two schools, SMU and Cincinnati, in this year's NCAA tournament.

         

For more news, rumors and related stories about Wichita State and college basketball, check out the college basketball and Wichita State streams on Bleacher Report's app.