Meet Cuonzo Martin

The Missouri State Bears' new basketball coach has a breadth of experience, and is expected to usher in a new era of Springfield college basketball.

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It has been nine years since the Missouri State Bears saw their name among the 65 teams going to the NCAA Tournament. In the world of college basketball, your success is defined by not only getting to the tournament but by doing more than just being there. Steve Alford, now at New Mexico, was the last coach to take a Missouri State team to the “Big Dance.” Cuonzo Martin wants to be the next. On Wednesday, March 26, Martin was named the 16th head coach in the storied history of Bears Basketball. He was the choice among several candidates as the best person to bring Missouri State Bears Basketball back to the map. “It feels good,” says Martin of becoming Head Coach of the Bears. “But there’s still a lot of work to be done.” And that work begins immediately. Coach Martin’s first meeting with his players was a good one. “I think they understand what we need, and they were excited,” he says. “The hard work is about to begin.”

Becoming a Basketball Guy

Martin, a native of East St. Louis, Illinois, attended New Hampton Prep School before heading to Purdue University, where he played four years under Coach Gene Keady. He became one of the Boilermakers’ all-time greats, finishing 11th on their all-time scoring list with 1,666 points in 127 games (13.1 ppg). In his final two seasons, he hit nearly 46 percent of his three-point attempts (179-390). That’s incredible shooting. He averaged 18.4 points during his senior season. That success led to a four-year stint in the pros, playing for the Milwaukee Bucks, Vancouver Grizzlies, the CBL and in Europe. “It was a great experience,” he says. “I played against Charles Barkley, Michael Jordan and many other great players. You’re almost in awe of those guys, but you still have to play the game. When you’re in it, you really don’t think about it. But once you step away, you think, ‘I played against Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley and those guys.’ It was an exciting experience for me.”

Hitting Snags and Moving Forward

Following his pro career, Martin had to deal with some serious health issues. He found a lump in his chest that turned out to be non-hodgkins lymphoma. He was treated and has been in remission ever since. Following his health issues, he returned to Purdue, where he finished his degree and got a clean bill of health. Coach Keady rewarded him with a spot on his coaching staff. After eight years as an assistant coach and associate head coach, Martin now comes to his new home at Missouri State.

After searching for Barry Hinson’s replacement, Athletic Director Bill Rowe says Martin fit the bill. “He just had the total package,” Rowe says. “We already knew a lot about Cuonzo. We played against him twice, knew he played in the pros and really appreciated the fact that after ending his pro career, he came back and finished his degree.”

Rowe says Martin worked his way up following his time in the pros, and his experience as an assistant under Coach Keady and Coach Painter was a real plus, along with his recruiting ability. “Our base of recruiting and his were a great match,” Rowe says. “He has ties to Illinois, Missouri and Indiana, plus contacts in St. Louis and Tulsa.” Rowe also feels Martin’s style will be a winner among Bears fans. “He’s going to demand great defense, similar to what Coach [Charlie] Spoonhour demanded. But his teams will be more up-tempo on offense.” And the Bears Boosters seem to be very pleased with the hire.

“I was recently at a Bears baseball game, and I was stopped by about 10 different people who all said we made a great hire,” says Rowe. “I think that’s a great sign.”