By Patrick Hayes

Marlon Williamson, who for the past nine years has helped run ‘The Family,’ a Detroit-based AAU basketball program that is among the country’s elite, has been hired as an assistant coach at the University of Massachusetts, the school announced today. From the news release:

“I am excited to have Marlon on our staff,” (UMass coach Derek) Kellogg said. “He has strong recruiting ties and a great knowledge of the game. His ability to relate to student-athletes and teach will be an asset to the program.”

Williamson’s duties with The Family included opponent scouting, practice scheduling, monitoring of the athletes’ academic progress and counseling them on educational programs.

Some of the top players to emerge from The Family include Joe Crawford (Kentucky), Jordan Crawford (Indiana & Xavier), Chris Douglas-Roberts (Memphis), Draymond Green (Michigan State) and Malik Hairston (Oregon).

Kellogg was an assistant coach at Youngstown State when Williamson was a player there, so they have some familiarity with each other.