Chuck Martin - Men's Basketball Coach - University of North Carolina Athletics

Chuck Martin

Title:
Associate Head Coach
Phone:
919-962-1154

Chuck Martin comes to Carolina after three seasons as an assistant coach on John Calipari’s staffs at Kentucky (2023-24) and Arkansas (2024-26).

Martin has coached numerous collegiate and NBA standouts, including 2008 No. 1 overall draft pick Derrick Rose, 2026 Bob Cousy Award winner Darius Acuff Jr. and OG Anunoby of the 2026 NBA champion New York Knicks.

Martin’s coaching journey includes more than 25 years on the bench. He was recruiting coordinator at Arkansas when the Razorbacks signed Acuff, who won the Cousy Award as the best point guard in the nation and was the No. 7 pick in the first round of the NBA Draft, and Meleek Thomas, the 34th pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

Acuff was a unanimous first-team All-America, joined Anthony Davis and Brandon Miller as the only players to win SEC Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year in the same season and was the SEC Tournament MVP. He also joined Pete Maravich as the only players to lead the SEC in scoring and assists in the same season.

Thomas joined Acuff on the SEC’s All-Freshman Team, and sophomore Billy Richmond III made the SEC’s All-Defensive Team.

In 2026, Martin helped the Razorbacks go 28-9 (13-5 in SEC play) and win the SEC Tournament championship. They advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 for the second time in as many seasons. Three Razorback players (Acuff, Thomas and Trevon Brazile) were among the first 35 players chosen in the NBA Draft.

Arkansas’ recruiting classes with Martin were both ranked in the top 10 after signing the top-ranked point guard in each class (Boogie Fland in 2024 and Acuff in 2025). Kentucky’s 2023 class, which included Reed Sheppard, the third pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, and Rob Dillingham, the No. 8 selection, was rated No. 2 in the country.

In 2022-23, Martin was an assistant coach on Dana Altman’s staff at Oregon, which featured first-team All-Pac-12 honoree N’Faly Dante. He recruited McDonald’s All-Americas Kwame Evans Jr. and Jermaine Couisnard and was named one of the game’s 50 most impactful high major assistants.

Martin spent five seasons (2017-22) at South Carolina, including the final year as associate head coach. He helped develop 2018 Southeastern Conference Co-Defensive Player of the Year and first-team All-SEC selection Chris Silva, who played for the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals, along with 2019 SEC Sixth Man of the Year Hassani Gravett, A.J. Lawson (Dallas Mavericks) and Justin Minaya (Portland Trailblazers).

Martin was an assistant coach at Indiana from 2014-17, when he helped the Hoosiers win the 2016 Big Ten championship and make two NCAA Tournament appearances. IU’s lineup included future NBA players Thomas Bryant and Anunoby, who averaged 21.2 points in the 2026 NBA Finals and scored 33 points, including the game-winning tip-in, in Game 4 vs. San Antonio.

Martin was a scout for the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2013-14 and head coach at Marist from 2008-13.

Martin’s first stint with Calipari was as assistant coach at Memphis from 2006-08. In two seasons, the Tigers went 71-6, played in the 2008 NCAA title game and had three players, including Rose, the No. 1 overall selection in the 2008 NBA Draft.

Martin was an assistant coach at St. John’s (2004-06), Drexel (2001-04), UMass (2000-01) and Manhattan (1999-2000). He served under head coach James “Bruiser” Flint at Drexel and UMass.

Martin is a 1993 graduate of Monmouth University in West Long Beach, N.J., where he played two seasons and earned a bachelor’s degree in communications with a concentration in journalism.

Born in San Juan, P.R., Martin grew up in The Bronx. He and his wife, Lee, are the parents of a daughter, Ashley-Monet, and sons, Jordan and Justin.