11/11/2026 12:18:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Three-member group rated as high as 13th in the nation
The Marquette University men's basketball program and head coach Shaka Smart announced Wednesday morning the signing of prep standouts Marlon Martinez (The Academy of Central Florida/Orlando, Fla.), Akol Nyok (Miami Columbus HS/Miami, Fla.) and Philipe Ndong (The Newman School/Boston, Mass.) to an Athletics Aid Agreement.
The trio will arrive on campus in the summer of 2027. The class is rated as high as 13th in the nation by 247Sports.com.
I'm ecstatic about the people and players that we're adding to our team, Smart said. All three are true relationship guys – already hard at work building bonds with our staff and each other.
Each possesses an exciting upside and commitment to what growth requires. All three play with a winning spirit that's exactly what we want at Marquette, Smart added.
Martinez (6-foot-5, 200 lbs.) attends The Academy of Central Florida, which competes in The Grind Session, an elite winter circuit for top prep and high school basketball. Martinez formerly attended Bishop Loughlin High School in New York and has competed on Puma's Pro16 AAU circuit as a member of the Rhode Island Elite. A native of the Dominican Republic, he represented his home country at the 2026 FIBA U18 AmeriCup, where he averaged 19.0 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game while shooting 48% from 3-point range.
Marlon caught our attention the old-fashioned way – by being one of the best players in an event full of highly regarded prospects, Smart said. Marlon's offensive game includes major versatility as a playmaker and play finisher.
Inside his veins flows the DNA that will remind Marquette fans of winning big guards from previous eras – he competes and has flair, Smart added.
Nyok (7-foot-1, 205 lbs.) is a native of South Sudan and currently resides in Miami, Florida. He attends Miami Columbus High School and is playing for the Cold Hearts in Overtime Elite, a nine-team basketball league in Atlanta, Georgia. So far this season, he is averaging 8.3 points, 9.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks while shooting 60% from the field. Before Miami Columbus High School's basketball team joined Overtime Elite as the Cold Hearts, Nyok led the school to the 2026 Florida Class 7A state championship. Columbus defeated Sarasota 53-50 in the title game.
Akol possesses two qualities that make his future in the program incredibly bright; he's on a terrific growth trajectory and his spirit for teammates and winning is second to none, Smart said. Combine those with his length, athleticism and desire to be a special defender and we have a guy Marquette fans are going to enjoy getting to know.
Ndong (6-foot-9, 180 lbs.) plays under head coach Justin Perron at The Newman School in Boston, Massachusetts. Ndong was born in Malaga, Spain, and also lived in Turkey before coming to the United States. This past summer, he played for Middlesex Magic, the same AAU program that produced former Marquette star and current New York Knicks guard Tyler Kolek. He averaged 10 points and 2.3 rebounds while shooting 38% from 3-point range for Middlesex.
Phil comes from a basketball background that is very unique and makes him a candidate for explosive growth, Smart said. His extremely high character and basketball IQ will make him a fast learner – and Phil loves taking on challenges.
I'm predicting Phil and Todd Smith create a partnership very much like Todd and Oso (Ighodaro) from 2020-24, Smart added.
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