UNC Basketball: Former Tar Heel’s father hates UNC

Why is a former Tar Heel’s father showing hatred towards the UNC basketball program on social media?

The UNC basketball program’s NCAA Tournament run has been an exciting one. In Hubert Davis’ first year at the helm, the Tar Heels have well-exceeded the expectations, as they are just one win away from making their first Final Four appearance since 2017.

Former Tar Heels have been noticeably invested in this tournament run. In fact, a handful of former UNC basketball standouts were very active on social media after the team’s Sweet 16 victory over UCLA.

Heck, although he doesn’t use social media, even Roy Williams was a major topic of discussion with his excited reaction after the win.

However, not all former Tar Heels are happy with the program, as the father of a prominent former standout player showed some hostility towards the program in a recent tweet.

Dennis Marshall, father of former UNC basketball standout Kendall Marshall, posted on Twitter that there are three teams that he didn’t want to make the Final Four. Of the three programs, Duke is an obvious one (given the rivalry between the two programs), but the other two may surprise you.

First is the UCONN women’s basketball team (no idea why there’s hatred towards Geno Auriemma and his team) and the other… none other than the UNC basketball program.

Woah… hold up a minute.. is this a typo?!

Nope. Not by any means.

Yes, Kendall was one of the best point guards to ever play at North Carolina. If not for his fractured wrist during the 2012 NCAA Tournament, there is a very good chance that the team’s tournament run would’ve gone much farther.

It’s important to note that none of the hostility towards the program is due to Kendall’s playing days. In fact, it has to do with some recent history, as we all know a lot changed throughout the program over the last year or so.

Kendall Marshall was serving as the Assistant Director of Operations for the Tar Heels from 2019-to 2021. He was brought in by his former head coach, Roy Williams, to help on the staff.

When Williams retired after the 2020-2021 season, Davis was tabbed to take over the program, and of course, changes came along with it. One of the changes Davis made was not retaining Marshall on his staff, a decision that definitely didn’t sit right with the Marshall family.

You can’t blame Davis for the decision, given it’s his right as the head coach to alter his staff in the way that he sees fit. It was probably one of the first (of many) tough decisions that Davis will be forced to make during his tenure as the program’s head coach.

You also can’t fault the Marshall family for being upset by the decision. Given Kendall’s successful career and the entire family’s ties to the program, it probably felt like a “slap in the face” to hear that Marshall would not be retained.

Although posting it on social media was probably not the best idea, it makes more sense why Dennis is openly rooting against the Tar Heels given the whole situation that has played out over the last year.

One thing is for sure: if the Tar Heels advance to the Final Four, don’t expect any celebratory tweets from Dennis Marshall or the Marshall family.

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