Mizzou Men's Basketball head coach Cuonzo Martin named Marco Harris to his staff in the role of Director of Player Development in April 2017 and elevated him to assistant coach prior to the 2019-20 campaign.
Harris has almost a decade worth of experience working alongside Coach Martin in various capacities. He served as director of operations for California during Martin's tenure (2014-17), also working in the same role for Martin at Tennessee (2011-14) before taking Director of Player Development duties at Mizzou the previous two seasons. Harris' close relationship with Mizzou's head coach dates back to their youth more than 30 years ago growing up together in East St. Louis, Illinois.
With vast knowledge of Martin's culture, style and program, Harris enters his fifth season at Mizzou and his second season as an assistant coach. Harris helped steer Mizzou to an impressive 2020-21 season, in which the Tigers went 16-10 and secured an NCAA Tournament berth for the second time in four seasons. In 2020-21, Mizzou spent 11 consecutive weeks in the AP Top 25, reaching as high as No. 10 nationally for the first time since Jan. 7, 2013. With Harris and company, the squad went undefeated in nonconference play, and finished the season with three wins over Top 10 teams (No. 6 Illinois, No. 6 Tennessee and No. 10 Alabama) in the same campaign for the first time since 2011-12. The Tigers finished the regular season as one of 13 teams nationally with seven Quad 1 victories, and totaled a 9-4 record against the 2021 NCAA Tournament field, beating six conference champions along the way.
Prior to his role as an assitant coach, he had oversight of the program's many initiatives to enhance the student-athlete experience within the basketball program. Harris worked on projects to grow campus and community involvement, while also fostering success in the classroom and off the court. IWith Harris on staff, the men's hoops programs has had 10 graduates earn bachelor's degrees and been named the Mizzou Athletics Team Community Service Award winners for exemplary dedication to giving back to the community.
During Harris' first two seasons at Tennessee (2011-13), he served as the Volunteers' student-athlete welfare coordinator. In that role, he aided the program's student-athletes in high achievement on the court, in the classroom and in the community.
Prior to coming to the collegiate ranks, Harris enjoyed success as a high school coach and entrepreneur. Harris' Booker T. Washington High School squad out of Tulsa, Oklahoma, posted a perfect 21-0 record and claimed a state championship in 2011. In addition, Harris has owned and operated several businesses and has served in athletic administrative positions throughout his professional career.
A former student-athlete in his own right, Harris began on the diamond as a baseball player at Southern Illinois. After transferring to Southwestern Oklahoma State (1992-94), Harris worked his way to the starting point guard spot and team captaincy.
Harris earned an associate's degree in business management from Southwestern Illinois College in 1992 before receiving a Bachelor's degree in business management from Southwestern Oklahoma State University in 1994. He is married to the former Ramona Knight, of Frogville, Oklahoma.
