Northwestern Sullivan-Ubben Head Men’s Basketball Coach Chris Collins announced three updates to his coaching and support staff for the 2026-27 season on Friday.
John Martinez has been elevated to Assistant Coach, Trevor Marcus will be Assistant Coach / Director of Video Operations and Chris Lauten will serve as Chief of Staff.
“We are excited to announce the completion of our staff for this season,” said Collins. “I am looking forward to giving enhanced roles to each of our returning staff members, as they have all played an integral role in our program. The continuity and chemistry we have created will be very important to our future success. We also want to welcome Trevor Marcus to our team. He brings great experience and expertise from his many years at Duke, and I believe he will be a great complement to the rest of our staff and help make us better.”
Martinez, who joined the program as a graduate manager in June 2021, spent the past four seasons as basketball video and recruiting operations coordinator. In his previous role, Martinez handled all video related aspects for the program and compiled extensive scouting reports and statistical analysis. In his elevated role, Martinez will add on-court coaching responsibilities and take on a heightened role in recruiting, player development and scouting, with a large focus on international prospects. A member of the Latino Association of Basketball Coaches, Martinez was part of coaching staffs that reached the NCAA Tournament’s second round and achieved top-three finishes in the Big Ten Conference in 2023 and 2024.
Formerly the head video coordinator on Jon Scheyer’s staff at Duke, Marcus brings a significant infusion of advanced analytical knowledge and video experience to the Wildcats. While at Duke, was responsible for in-game video management with coaches and players and oversaw the replay system for coaches’ challenges. Marcus assisted with every scouting report for the season, providing video and advanced analytics reports. He previously served as Duke’s assistant video coordinator from 2021 to 2025.
Marcus’ time in Durham dates back to 2017, when he was an undergraduate student manager for the Blue Devils. At Duke, he helped direct the team’s live and future scouting and partnered with assistant coaches on gameplan design.
Lauten has been elevated to Chief of Staff after 14 seasons as the Wildcats’ director of basketball operations. A member of Collins’ inaugural staff in 2013-14, Lauten oversees the day-to-day logistics and strategic planning for the program, which includes items such as non-conference scheduling, program budget, student managers and team travel. He also serves as a key liaison between the men’s basketball program and the athletic department, including most recently within the NIL space.
Lauten came to Evanston after five seasons working in the NBA’s League Office. He played an integral role in the team’s first three NCAA Tournament appearances in school history. A 2008 graduate of Duke, Lauten was a five-year student manager for the Blue Devils men’s basketball program.
https://nusports.com/news/2026/08/28/collins-announces-2026-27-mens-basketball-staff-updates
