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Updated Report: Rutgers Basketball Has NOT Hired Donyell Marshall As An Assistant Coach

By Aaron Breitman
Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

UPDATE:

Yesterday I posted regarding the report from CBS's Jon Rothstein that Donyell Marshall was going to be hired as an assistant coach for new men's basketball head coach Steve Pikiell's staff. It was never confirmed and today it seems like if it does happen, nothing is imminent.

There has been no retraction from CBS's Rothstein, but Adam Zagoria had reported it as well and issued the above tweet today. A big reason for this appears to be that Marshall is in the running for the head coaching position at Central Connecticut State.  Former UConn assistant Howie Dickenman was the head coach there for 19 years and is now retiring.

We will update this story as it develops further. For now, there is nothing new to report regarding coach Pikiell's staff.

Original Report:

One day after new Rutgers men's basketball coach Steve Pikiell was formally introduced, there have been two reports today regarding his staff.

It will be interesting to see if Pikiell decides to keep Shoes Vetrone as an assistant coach, move him into an operations support role, or let him go entirely.  It is no secret that point guard Corey Sanders is very tight with Shoes, who also brought in Deshawn Freeman and Jonathan Laurent.  He also is the lead recruiter for class of 2016 commit Issa Thiam.

This is the first report regarding a potential new hire for coach Pikiell and it should not be surprising there are UConn ties associated with it.  Donyell Marshall started his playing career at UConn during Pikiell's stint as an assistant coach for legendary head coach Jim Calhoun.  Marshall became a star for the Huskies, winning Big East Player of the Year during the 1993-1994 season.  He the played 15 seasons in the NBA and retired in 2009, averaging 11.2 points and 6.7 rebounds per game for his career.  He started his coaching career soon after and has had stops at George Washington, Rider and Buffalo. It was his first season at Buffalo this year and they lost to Miami (Fla) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

The 6'9" Marshall will have a lot of work to do molding the frontcourt at Rutgers, likely being tasked with coaching up centers Ibrahima Diallo and Shaq Doorson, as well as forwards Deshawn Freeman, D.J. Foreman, and Jonathan Laurent.  Perhaps Marshall can help with some of Rutgers three-point shooting woes as well, as he is tied with Kobe Bryant and Steph Curry for the most shots made behind the arc in an NBA game with 12 three-point field goals.

Pikiell had this to say yesterday at his press conference in regards to hiring his staff.

We're going to hire a great staff first and foremost. Your staff is always the most important thing you do. I'm going to take time with that process and do it right. Once you have your staff, you have your staff. We're going to be thoughtful about each piece we put together.

Marshall brings instant credibility from his playing career and is another connection to the UConn basketball program. Like Rutgers football coach Chris Ash, Pikiell is hiring someone he has a relationship with and with roots to his beginnings as a coach. More to come once Rutgers makes an official statement confirming the hire or if other reports emerge as to additional hires Pikiell makes with his coaching staff.