Cuonzo Martin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Cuonzo Martin

Martin in 2013
Missouri State Bears
Head coach
Personal information
Born	(1971-09-23) September 23, 1971 (age 53) East St. Louis, Illinois, U.S.
High school	Lincoln (East St. Louis, Illinois)
Listed height	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Listed weight	213 lb (97 kg)
Career information
College	Purdue (1991–1995)
NBA Draft	1995 / Round: 2 / Pick: 57th overall
Selected by the Atlanta Hawks
Pro career	1995–1998
Coaching career	1999–present
Career history
As player:
1995–1996	Vancouver Grizzlies
1996–1997	Grand Rapids Mackers
1997	Milwaukee Bucks
1997–1998	Ciro Avellino
As coach:
1999–2000	West Lafayette HS (assistant)
2000–2007	Purdue (assistant)
2007–2008	Purdue (assoc. HC)
2008–2011	Missouri State
2011–2014	Tennessee
2014–2017	California
2017–2022	Missouri
2024–present	Missouri State
Career highlights and awards
As player: CBA All-Star (1997) All-CBA Second Team (1997) CBA All-Rookie First Team (1996) AP Honorable mention All-American (1995) First-team All-Big Ten (1995) As coach: CIT champion (2010) MVC regular season champion (2011) Ben Jobe Award (2011) MVC Coach of the Year (2011)

Cuonzo LaMar Martin (born September 23, 1971) is an American basketball coach and former player. He is currently the head men's basketball coach at Missouri State University. He coached there before, from 2008 to 2011. He has also been the head coach for teams at the University of Tennessee, University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Missouri.

High School Basketball Achievements

Cuonzo Martin played high school basketball at Lincoln High in East St. Louis, Illinois. He was a key player on two state championship teams. This happened during his sophomore and junior years. He played alongside another great player, LaPhonso Ellis.

During his three years in the IHSA tournament, Martin scored 198 points. He also grabbed 111 rebounds in 12 games. In 2007, both Martin and Ellis were named among the "100 Legends of the IHSA Boys Basketball Tournament." This honored their amazing performances in the tournament.

College Basketball Career

Cuonzo Martin went to Purdue University for college. He played basketball under coach Gene Keady. He also played with Wooden Award winner Glenn Robinson. Martin was a 6-foot-6 guard/forward. He helped the Purdue Boilermakers men's basketball team win two Big Ten Conference titles in a row. These wins were in 1994 and 1995.

The team also made it to the Elite Eight in 1994. Martin was known as a strong defensive player. He often guarded the best players from other teams. As a senior, he held future NBA players like Shawn Respert and Michael Finley to low scores.

Martin was also good at shooting from long range. On March 24, 1994, he set a school record. He made 8 three-pointers in a game against Kansas. He finished his college career with 179 three-pointers. This was the fourth-highest at Purdue at the time. He also holds the record for the highest career three-point shooting accuracy at .451.

In his senior year, he averaged 18.4 points per game. He was named First Team All-Big Ten. Martin also holds a school record for playing 137 games in a row.

Professional Basketball Journey

The Atlanta Hawks picked Cuonzo Martin in the 1995 1995 NBA draft. He was the 57th pick in the second round. He played in seven NBA games. He played for the Vancouver Grizzlies in the 1995–96 season. He also played for the Milwaukee Bucks in the 1996–97 season. There, he reunited with his college teammate, Glenn Robinson.

Martin also played in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA). He played for the Grand Rapids Mackers and Grand Rapids Hoops. He was named to the All-CBA Second Team in 1997. He was also on the All-Rookie First Team in 1996. He played one season in Italy for Ciro Avellino.

In November 1997, Martin faced a serious health challenge. He was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a type of cancer. He received strong treatments and chemotherapy. The cancer went into remission, meaning it went away. Martin then returned to Purdue to finish his college degree.

After graduating, his former coach, Gene Keady, hired him as an assistant coach in 2000. The Cuonzo Martin Challenge Award was created to help raise money for cancer research. Martin has been cancer-free since his recovery.

Coaching Career Highlights

Starting at Purdue

After coaching for one year at West Lafayette High School, Martin returned to Purdue University in 2000. He became an assistant coach under his former coach, Gene Keady. He also worked with his former teammate, Matt Painter. During his eight seasons at Purdue, the team had a 153–129 record. They made it to the Elite Eight once. They also reached the NCAA Second Round three times. He was promoted to associate head coach for the 2007–08 season.

Leading Missouri State

On March 25, 2008, Martin became the head coach at Missouri State University. His first win as a head coach was against Central Michigan. His team also won their first game at their new JQH Arena against Arkansas. In his first season, the team finished with an 11–20 record.

In the 2009–10 season, his Missouri State team started strong with a 10–0 record. They finished the regular season 20–12. They then won the CIT tournament. This brought their final record to 24–12.

In his third year, the team won their first regular season Missouri Valley Conference title. They were the top seed in the conference tournament. They finished the season with a 26–9 record. They played in the National Invitation Tournament.

Coaching at Tennessee

On March 27, 2011, Martin became the head coach for the Tennessee Volunteers. He coached them for three seasons. During his time there, the Volunteers played in two NITs. They also reached the Sweet Sixteen in the 2014 NCAA tournament.

After a tough start to the 2013–14 season, some fans wanted the previous coach back. Martin later shared that some of his own players were upset by how fans treated him.

Time with California Golden Bears

On April 15, 2014, Martin was hired as the head coach for the University of California, Berkeley. In his second season (2015–16), the Bears had a great year. They won 23 regular season games. They were led by talented freshmen Jaylen Brown and Ivan Rabb. The team earned a number 4 seed in the NCAA tournament. They lost in the first round.

Martin agreed to extend his contract through the 2020–21 season in October 2016. However, he announced his resignation on March 15, 2017. This happened after Cal's loss in the first round of the 2017 National Invitation Tournament.

Leading the Missouri Tigers

On March 15, 2017, the same day he left California, Martin became the head coach for the University of Missouri. On March 24, 2017, he got a commitment from top recruit Michael Porter Jr.. Porter's father, Michael Porter Sr., also joined the coaching staff. Martin finished his time as coach on March 11, 2022. His overall record there was 78–77. His teams reached the NCAA Tournament twice.

On March 27, 2024, it was announced that Cuonzo Martin would return to Missouri State. He is now the head men's basketball coach there for his second time.

Head coaching record

See also

In Spanish: Cuonzo Martin para niños