Kendall Marshall
Kendall Marshall | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 19, 1991 Dumfries, Virginia, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Former professional basketball player, coach |
| Years active | 2010–2017 (player), 2018–2021 (coach) |
| Known for | Professional basketball career in the NBA; coaching at University of North Carolina |
Kendall Dewan Marshall (born August 19, 1991) is a former professional basketball player from the United States who has transitioned into coaching. Hailing from Dumfries, Virginia, he completed his high school education at Bishop O'Connell High School located in Arlington, Virginia. Marshall played collegiate basketball with the North Carolina Tar Heels and was chosen as the 13th pick in the first round of the 2012 NBA draft by the Phoenix Suns.
High school career
During his senior year, Marshall guided Bishop O'Connell to capture the 2010 Virginia Independent Schools Division I title and reach the semifinals of the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference. He posted averages of 15.3 points, nine rebounds, and six assists per game.
Rated as a four-star recruit by ESPN.com, he was ranked seventh among point guards and 22nd overall nationwide in the class of 2010.
Freshman season
Marshall started his freshman year at North Carolina as a backup point guard behind starter Larry Drew II. After a heavy defeat to Georgia Tech, coach Roy Williams inserted him into the starting lineup for a subsequent victory over Clemson. Following Drew’s transfer to UCLA Bruins men's basketball, Marshall took on the primary leadership role, setting an ACC record with 16 assists and only three turnovers in a win against Florida State on February 6, 2011. His averages for the season were 6.2 points and 6.2 assists per game.
Sophomore season
In his sophomore campaign, Marshall established a new single-season assist record at UNC with 351 assists, surpassing former point guard Ed Cota. On March 9, 2012, he also set the ACC’s all-time single-season assist record with 311, overtaking Craig Neal from Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets men's basketball. During the NCAA tournament, he sustained a wrist fracture in a game against Creighton, which sidelined him for the remainder of the season as North Carolina was eliminated by Kansas in the regional finals. That year, he received the distinguished 2012 Bob Cousy Award, joining fellow Tar Heel recipients such as Raymond Felton and Ty Lawson. His sophomore statistics included averages of 8.1 points, 9.8 assists, and a field goal percentage of 52.7%.
2012 NBA draft
On March 29, 2012, Marshall declared for the 2012 NBA draft alongside UNC teammates Harrison Barnes, John Henson, and Tyler Zeller. He was picked 13th overall by the Phoenix Suns.
Phoenix Suns (2012–2013)
Marshall inked a multi-year deal with Phoenix on July 16, 2012. In the ensuing NBA Summer League, he demonstrated potential with an impressive debut and capped off with a double-double performance featuring 15 points and 10 assists in his final outing.
He made his NBA debut on November 4, 2012, before being assigned to Phoenix’s NBA D-League affiliate Bakersfield Jam shortly thereafter. In his first D-League appearance, he posted 21 points and eight assists. The Suns recalled him on December 21.
Among his notable outings were a season-best 11 points and four assists on February 5, 2013, and his inaugural NBA start on March 27 when he delivered 13 assists. Over three starts that season, he accumulated a total of 37 assists.
On October 25, 2013, Marshall was included in a trade sending him to the Washington Wizards along with Marcin Gortat, Shannon Brown, and Malcolm Lee in exchange for Emeka Okafor and a first-round pick in the 2014 draft. The Wizards waived him three days later.
Delaware 87ers (2013)
Marshall was acquired by the Delaware 87ers of the NBA D-League on December 3, 2013. In his first game, he delivered an impressive performance with 31 points, 10 assists, 9 rebounds, and 2 steals, although the team fell 126–139 to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers.
Los Angeles Lakers (2013–2014)
On December 20, 2013, Marshall inked a contract with the Los Angeles Lakers. Due to multiple injuries, he became the sixth player to start at point guard for the Lakers during that season. On January 3, 2014, he achieved personal bests of 20 points and 15 assists in a 110–99 victory over Utah, helping to snap a six-game losing streak. In the following game, despite a defeat against the Denver Nuggets, he set a career-high with 17 assists. The Lakers waived Marshall on July 18, 2014.
Milwaukee Bucks (2014–2015)
Two days after his release from the Lakers, Marshall was claimed off waivers by the Milwaukee Bucks on July 20, 2014. His campaign was cut short on January 17, 2015, after suffering a torn ACL in his right knee two days prior. On February 19, 2015, he was involved in a three-team trade that sent him back to the Phoenix Suns along with transactions involving the Philadelphia 76ers, but was waived by Phoenix two days later alongside John Salmons.
Philadelphia 76ers (2015–2016)
Marshall signed with the Philadelphia 76ers on September 9, 2015. To aid recovery from his torn ACL, he was assigned to the Delaware 87ers on November 11. The Sixers recalled him on December 4. He made his Philadelphia debut on December 11, starting and contributing 5 points and 6 assists in a loss to the Detroit Pistons.
On August 26, 2016, Marshall was traded to the Utah Jazz in exchange for Tibor Pleiss, two second-round picks in the 2017 draft, and cash considerations. The Jazz promptly waived him following the trade.
Reno Bighorns (2016–2017)
Marshall signed with the Reno Bighorns of the NBA Development League on November 29, 2016.
Agua Caliente Clippers (2017)
After signing a training camp deal with the Milwaukee Bucks on September 21, 2017, Marshall was released on October 8 after participating in three preseason contests. Subsequently, he joined the Agua Caliente Clippers of the NBA G League, appearing in three games before announcing his retirement from professional basketball on November 23, 2017.
National team career
In August of 2017, Marshall represented the United States national team at the 2017 FIBA AmeriCup, where he earned a gold medal.
Coaching career
During the 2017–18 academic year, Marshall returned to UNC to complete his studies and graduated in December 2018. He collaborated closely with the basketball program and served as a student assistant coach during the 2018–19 season. On October 2, 2019, head coach Roy Williams appointed him as director of recruiting—a newly established role within the staff. Marshall remained in this position until April 15, 2021, shortly after Williams stepped down.
College
|- | style="text-align:left;"| 2010–11 | style="text-align:left;"| North Carolina | 37 || 20 || 24.6 || .420 || .385 || .690 || 2.1 || 6.2 || 1.1 || .1 || 6.2 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2011–12 | style="text-align:left;"| North Carolina | 36 || 35 || 33 || .467 || .354 || .696 || 2.6 || 9.8 || 1.2 || .2 || 8.1 |- class="sortbottom" | style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Total | 73 || 55 || 28.8 || .446 || .366 || .693 || 2.3 || 8.0 || 1.1 || .1 || 7.2
Regular season
|- | align="left" | | align="left" | Phoenix | 48 || 3 || 14.6 || .371 || .315 || .571 || .9 || 3.0 || .5 || .1 || 3.0 |- | align="left" | | align="left" | L.A. Lakers | 54 || 45 || 29.0 || .406 || .399 || .528 || 2.9 || 8.8 || .9 || .1 || 8.0 |- | align="left" | | align="left" | Milwaukee | 28 || 3 || 14.9 || .455 || .391 || .889 || 1.0 || 3.1 || .8 || .0 || 4.2 |- | align="left" | | align="left" | Philadelphia | 30 || 6 || 13.3 || .364 || .327 || .692 || .9 || 2.4 || .5 || .1|| 3.7 |- class="sortbottom" | align="center" colspan=2 | Overall | 160 || 57|| 19.3|| .399|| .370|| .611|| 1.6|| 4.9|| .7|| .1|| 5.0