An explosive report that was published this week revealed that Wichita State basketball coach Gregg Marshall is under investigation for verbal and physical abuse of former players and members of his coaching staff. Those who have seen the footage of Marshall’s infamous 2016 meltdown are probably not all that stunned.
Marshall had one of the most animated coaching meltdowns you will ever see in August 2016, and it came during a meaningless exhibition game. Wichita State was playing against McGill University in Montreal when Marshall was ejected for arguing a call. He then went after the referees and had to be physically restrained by players and members of his staff.
Marshall’s actions were completely out of line, but he expressed little remorse after the game. He said he was unhappy with both the officiating and the way his team was playing. Marshall also said he wanted to “get my money’s worth” after being ejected.
“I’m definitely not proud of my reaction to that situation, but at some point your players have to know you’re going to stand up for them and you’ve got some fight in you,” Marshall said at the time, via Paul Suellentrop of the Wichita Eagle. “Once I reacted, I said, ‘I might as well get my money’s worth.’”
Apparently that was just one example of Marshall’s anger issues. The report from Stadium’s Jeff Goodman this week includes allegations from a former Wichita State player who says Marshall punched him in the head during practice. Marshall is also accused of choking an assistant coach, among other troubling behavior.
The 2016 incident was embarrassing, but it was mostly viewed as a coach losing his cool and doing something regrettable. For Marshall, it looks like it was part of a pattern of behavior.
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