Calipari Putting Kentucky Band Back Together for Razorbacks with New Assistants

New Arkansas Razorbacks coach John Calipari is bringing the folks who had big roles in Kentucky's winning to town with him in his new job. Two additions were added to his coaching staff on Wednesday with Ronald “Chin” Coleman serving as associate head coach and Chuck Martin as assistant coach.

We tend to overlook that not only did every player end up leaving the Hogs with Trevon Brazile officially entering the transfer portal as well Wednesday, the entire coaching staff is apparently going to change as well. It's hard to argue with the success Calipari has had with the two assistants he's bringing in.

Coleman brings 13 years of experience as a collegiate coach. Over that time, he has built a reputation of focusing on relationships with his players to forge success on the court and the recruiting trail. That reputation has helped Coleman be recognized as one of the top coaches in the country.

He spent the last three seasons working on Calipari’s staff at Kentucky. He helped Sahvir Wheeler become a Bob Cousy Award finalist, TyTy Washington Jr., become a first-round NBA pick, Antonio Reeves earn All-America honors, Reed Sheppard be the National Freshman of the Year and freshman Rob Dillingham be SEC Sixth Man of the Year. Sheppard, Dillingham and D.J. Wagner were named to the SEC All-Freshman team, and freshman Justin Edwards was one of the top three recruits in the country.

Prior to Kentucky, Coleman was an assistant coach at Illinois, where he helped point guard Ayo Dosunmu earn USA TODAY National Player of the Year, win the Bob Cousy Award and be a consensus All-American. He also had coaching stops at UIC, Bradley and Colorado State.

Martin has been in the coaching profession since 1999-2000 and worked with Calipari at both Memphis (2006-08) and Kentucky (2023-24). With Martin leading the team’s recruiting efforts in his one year at Kentucky, the Wildcats’ 2024 class ranked #2 in the nation.

Martin was at Oregon during the 2022-23 season and served on South Carolina’s staff from 2017-22, the last season as associate head coach. At Oregon, he worked with first team All-Pac-12 pick N’Faly Dante and recruited the likes of McDonald’s All-American Kwame Evans Jr., and Jermaine Couisnard. In his five years with the Gamecocks, Martin helped develop 2018 Southeastern Conference Co-Defensive Player of the Year and first-team All-SEC selection Chris Silva, A.J. Lawson (Dallas Mavericks), Justin Minaya (Portland Trailblazers), along with 2019 SEC Sixth Man of the Year Hassani Gravett.

From 2014-17, Martin was an assistant coach at Indiana, where he helped the Hoosiers to two NCAA Tournament berths and a Big Ten championship in 2016, featuring the likes of future NBA pros Thomas Bryant and Ogugua “OG” Anunoby. He spent a year (2013-14) as a scout with the Oklahoma City Thunder after he was the head coach at Marist from 2008-13. Martin first worked with Coach Calipari as an assistant coach at Memphis from 2006-08. While at Memphis, the Tigers went 71-6, reaching the 2008 NCAA Championship game and having three players, including first overall pick Derrick Rose, selected in the 2008 NBA Draft. Martin also had stops as an assistant coach at St. John’s (2004-06), Drexel (2001-04), UMass (2000-01) and Manhattan (1999-2000).

Martin and Coleman will continue to help Calipari on the recruiting trail as he brings in the other half of the roster.

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