I mentioned this move earlier this morning (JUCO DIRT). It’s now been made official – Marreese Speights has been named as the head basketball coach at NJCAA D1 Polk State College (FL). Here’s the announcement PSC:
Former NBA center Marreese Speights has been named the new head coach of Polk State College Basketball. Speights played 10 seasons in the NBA with the Philadelphia 76ers, Memphis Grizzlies, Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers and Orlando Magic.
“Being from St. Petersburg, I spent a lot of time playing in Polk County,” Speights said. “In 2023, I coached my team to a postgraduate championship in Polk State’s gymnasium. When I used to play in that area, Polk County teams always played with grit and toughness and we’re going to bring that to Polk State. I felt like Polk was where I was supposed to be. I’m excited to be part of something bigger than me.”
Speights played collegiately at the University of Florida, helping the Gators win a second straight national championship as a freshman during the 2006-07 season. As a sophomore the following year, Speights averaged 14.5 points per game and led the team in rebounds per game (8.1), blocks per game (1.4) and field goal percentage (.624). He was selected by the 76ers with the 16th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft.
“We’re incredibly excited to have someone of Coach Speights’ stature to oversee our basketball program,” said Randy Lee, Polk State Director of Athletics. “He’s made a profound impact and has had on-the-court success everywhere he’s been. He has a proven track record of moving athletes on to the next level. This is a big moment for Polk State Athletics.”
For his NBA career, the 6-foot-10 Speights averaged nearly eight points and four rebounds per game. He helped the Warriors beat the Cavaliers in the 2015 NBA Finals in six games. The following season, Speights helped Golden State set an NBA record with 73 regular season wins before making a return trip to the NBA Finals. During his playing career, Speights played for basketball legends such as Billy Donovan, Mark Jackson, Steve Kerr, Doc Rivers, Lionel Hollins, Doug Collins, Maurice Cheeks, Byron Scott and Frank Vogel, among others.
“Every coach is different, but I learned a lot from those guys,” Speights added. “There are parts of all of them that I have implemented into my coaching style.”
Following a 10-year NBA career and three seasons in China, Speights founded Speights Academy, a postgraduate program, in St. Petersburg. He also oversees the Amateur Athletic Union program Team Speights. Speights began his college coaching career at Georgia Southern University where he spent the 2023-24 season. He served as Director of Player Development at the University of South Florida during the 2024-25 season.
“We’re going to bring the right people to Polk State and make an impact in the community as well,” Speights explained. “I want to build a high-character program that works hard and represents Polk State with pride.”
Speights holds a bachelor’s degree in mass communications from Union Institute in Ohio. He was the head coach of the Northside Christian School boys basketball program this past season and led the Mustangs to the 2A state semifinals. This will be his first head coaching job at the college level. His official start date is June 1.
“Polk State is going to be a place where players get exposure,” Speights exclaimed. “We’re going to be big on faith and process oriented. Our players are going to leave Polk State as better young men than when they arrived.”
