Mountain Hawk Hoops Pros Spotlight: Marquis Hall
2/11/2021 2:29:00 PM | Men's Basketball, Support, Features, Flight 45, Intellectual Development
Over the course of the 2020-21 school year, Lehighsports.com will be catching up with several former Mountain Hawks under head coach Brett Reed who have gone on to play professionally. We continue with Marquis Hall '10.
By: Justin Lafleur, Lehigh Sports Communications
Basketball has always been a huge part of Marquis Hall's life.
And it's something the 2010 Lehigh graduate didn't have to give up after Lehigh, either.
Fresh off a Patriot League Championship as a senior, Hall went on to play three seasons professionally. A connection from his playing days led to a position with Nike Basketball, and Hall has been working with NBA players as a Nike representative ever since.
"After Lehigh, I went over to Denmark," said Hall. "I got there a little bit after Christmastime, so I didn't start the season with the team. I didn't know what I was walking into, but it was a fun experience. I was excited to get a chance to continue my career overseas."
Hall's second and third professional seasons were in Iceland and Finland, respectively.
"All the cold Scandinavian countries with lots of snow," he said.
A strong collegiate career set Hall up to play professionally. He enjoyed success from day one as a Mountain Hawk, winning Patriot League Rookie of the Year as a freshman.
"As a sophomore/junior, you're starting to try and figure out the next steps," said Hall. "Do I want to continue to pursue this? You're preparing yourself to go into the workforce or pursue playing overseas and taking the steps you need."
When he got overseas for year one, Hall was as prepared as realistically possible, but the adjustment still brought challenges.
"Being away and being by yourself is a mental game," he said. "You don't know what you're walking into. Someone you've never met is picking you up at the airport thousands of miles from home. You just have to trust that you're in good hands."
That trust paid off.
"I had never played soccer before, but sometimes soccer is the warmup because it's huge over there," said Hall. "You learn and embrace the culture. If you embrace those things and try to learn new things in the country, it makes the experience a lot better."
Hall's on-court experience was strong as well. Graduating Lehigh as the program's all-time leader in assists (… since broken by Mackey McKnight then Kahron Ross), Hall's already polished game became even stronger overseas.
"My game actually expanded," he said. "I feel like I got a lot better. Basketball was all I focused on; that's your job and that's your career. I was able to fine tune my skills and add things to my game."
Hall was one of several Mountain Hawks from his era who went on to play professionally. He credits a lot to the Lehigh men's basketball program.
"You look at all the different things we [at Lehigh] do – whether it's conditioning, agility, on-court individuals or the team success – they all prepare you for professional basketball," he said. "What better example than CJ [McCollum] who's great in the NBA? Not only him, but also so many guys who've played overseas.
"There's definitely a tradition at Lehigh."
The great thing about a Lehigh education is that even when professional basketball comes to an end, a fulfilling career outside of playing isn't usually hard to come by.
In Hall's case, his playing career ended pretty suddenly.
"I was playing in Finland and got hurt," he said. "I hurt my patella, so I was out for about a month. I was playing well, but while I was out, the team brought in another American. I wasn't 100 percent when I came back, so they let me go."
Hall was at a crossroads, wondering if he should continue playing.
"I was playing well, put up numbers, but just hadn't gotten the opportunity I needed," he said. "It was right before Christmas. When I came home, my focus was getting healthy and deciding if I wanted to take a chance finding a new agent (Hall's previous agent had moved on from the profession)."
In the end, Hall had another opportunity he couldn't pass down.
"I asked myself if I wanted to risk it, keep playing and keep chasing that dream or pursue an opportunity of a lifetime, which was Nike Basketball," he said. "It was in Portland. It didn't get much better than that as a basketball player trying to find a career. When I weighed my options, it seemed like a no-brainer.
"I went ahead and hung up the shoes," Hall continued. "I had a good run."
The Nike opportunity wouldn't have arisen without Hall's experience playing professionally.
"My trainer (Erin Cowan) did a lot of the photo shoots for Nike Basketball and he asked me to help him out one time," said Hall. "It was a pretty big shoot. That's how I met the people I work with today. We kept in contact and when a job came up, they had me in mind."
Hall started as a temp his first year, but was quickly elevated into the role he's in now as a field representative. He began in Portland, but has been based out of Dallas since 2015.
"I work with all our athletes in the South region," said Hall. "I work with our NBA players with six teams, all of our Nike athletes on Dallas, San Antonio, Atlanta, Charlotte, Orlando and New Orleans."
Much of Hall's job is relationship building.
"I basically manage that relationship between the athlete, Nike and the athlete's agent," he said. "If guys are in town, I connect with them, grab dinner. I may have some gear for them, I may not, but it's managing that relationship, going to games, keeping up and making sure they're being serviced from a Nike perspective."
Relationship building is a skill Hall developed in his time at Lehigh as a captain and leader on his team… and within the athletics department.
"Dealing with people and trying to figure out different personalities definitely carries forward," he said. "But it's basketball at the end of the day. How I related to my teammates then – Zahir, Matt, Dave, CJ, Gabe – is how I relate to some of the guys in the NBA. Obviously they're on a different and higher skill level, but basketball is pretty much the same language."
Another area that was prevalent in Hall's time at Lehigh, and has carried forward, is his desire to give back.
"At Lehigh, I was part of C.O.A.C.H. (Community Outreach by Athletes who Care About Helping)," he said. "One of the big events was always Adopt-A-Family, so I'd push to make sure our team raised as much money as we could for the family we sponsored during Christmastime. [Director of Community Relations] Roseann Corsi was amazing; whatever she needed me to do, I was happy to help."
Today, Hall continues to give back, which includes helping the Erin Cowan Foundation.
"Erin was my mentor who trained me and helped me get the Nike position, but he actually passed away," said Hall. "He was huge in the Portland community as a mentor, father and coach. He trained a lot of players – men and women – was an agent and had a lot of connections. He took me under his wings.
Working closely with Erin's family, Hall helped start a scholarship in his name and give back to the Portland community.
"I was thinking about ways I could give back because so many people have done so much for me," he said. "It has been a total team effort with Erin's wife and daughters, one of my good friends Seth Tarver, and a lot of people in the Portland community."
Corsi couldn't be more proud of the impact Hall continues to make on his community.
"I am extremely proud of Marquis," she said. "I remember the day he called to tell me. I became emotional and he really brought tears to my eyes. I was just so proud of him. I know he has a passion to help others and he continues to give back as he did at Lehigh."
Whether it's C.O.A.C.H. or the Erin Cowan Foundation, Hall's motivation to give back to the community is simple.
"It feels like the right thing to do," he said. "I'm just trying to be a good person and do the right thing."
As Corsi said, "I know Marquis said he is just trying to be a good person, but let's just say this… He is a good person with a big heart."
And Lehigh played a significant role in the man Marquis Hall is today.
"Your college days really shape you," he said. "You learn who you are during those college days, and a little bit after too. Those college days are when you learn real-life lessons, whether they're good, bad or ugly. Like us losing three times in a row in the Patriot League Tournament to finally prevail and win a championship, those are things you can't teach.
"There are going to be a lot of losses, but you have to keep pushing."
Hall has pushed through losses in his life to enjoy a highly-successful career in the sport he loves.
"On the court, I was a competitor who wanted to win, which came through in my playing days," he said. "Off the court, I've always tried to make sure I'm a nice, humble person, trying to help wherever I can. Smile, say hello and be a good person no matter what.
"I feel like that's me in a nutshell."
"Me" is someone who continues to represent Lehigh University so admirably in everything he does.
By: Justin Lafleur, Lehigh Sports Communications
Basketball has always been a huge part of Marquis Hall's life.
And it's something the 2010 Lehigh graduate didn't have to give up after Lehigh, either.
Fresh off a Patriot League Championship as a senior, Hall went on to play three seasons professionally. A connection from his playing days led to a position with Nike Basketball, and Hall has been working with NBA players as a Nike representative ever since.
"After Lehigh, I went over to Denmark," said Hall. "I got there a little bit after Christmastime, so I didn't start the season with the team. I didn't know what I was walking into, but it was a fun experience. I was excited to get a chance to continue my career overseas."
Hall's second and third professional seasons were in Iceland and Finland, respectively.
"All the cold Scandinavian countries with lots of snow," he said.
A strong collegiate career set Hall up to play professionally. He enjoyed success from day one as a Mountain Hawk, winning Patriot League Rookie of the Year as a freshman.
"As a sophomore/junior, you're starting to try and figure out the next steps," said Hall. "Do I want to continue to pursue this? You're preparing yourself to go into the workforce or pursue playing overseas and taking the steps you need."
When he got overseas for year one, Hall was as prepared as realistically possible, but the adjustment still brought challenges.
"Being away and being by yourself is a mental game," he said. "You don't know what you're walking into. Someone you've never met is picking you up at the airport thousands of miles from home. You just have to trust that you're in good hands."
That trust paid off.
"I had never played soccer before, but sometimes soccer is the warmup because it's huge over there," said Hall. "You learn and embrace the culture. If you embrace those things and try to learn new things in the country, it makes the experience a lot better."
Hall's on-court experience was strong as well. Graduating Lehigh as the program's all-time leader in assists (… since broken by Mackey McKnight then Kahron Ross), Hall's already polished game became even stronger overseas.
"My game actually expanded," he said. "I feel like I got a lot better. Basketball was all I focused on; that's your job and that's your career. I was able to fine tune my skills and add things to my game."
Hall was one of several Mountain Hawks from his era who went on to play professionally. He credits a lot to the Lehigh men's basketball program.
"You look at all the different things we [at Lehigh] do – whether it's conditioning, agility, on-court individuals or the team success – they all prepare you for professional basketball," he said. "What better example than CJ [McCollum] who's great in the NBA? Not only him, but also so many guys who've played overseas.
"There's definitely a tradition at Lehigh."
The great thing about a Lehigh education is that even when professional basketball comes to an end, a fulfilling career outside of playing isn't usually hard to come by.
In Hall's case, his playing career ended pretty suddenly.
"I was playing in Finland and got hurt," he said. "I hurt my patella, so I was out for about a month. I was playing well, but while I was out, the team brought in another American. I wasn't 100 percent when I came back, so they let me go."
Hall was at a crossroads, wondering if he should continue playing.
"I was playing well, put up numbers, but just hadn't gotten the opportunity I needed," he said. "It was right before Christmas. When I came home, my focus was getting healthy and deciding if I wanted to take a chance finding a new agent (Hall's previous agent had moved on from the profession)."
In the end, Hall had another opportunity he couldn't pass down.
"I asked myself if I wanted to risk it, keep playing and keep chasing that dream or pursue an opportunity of a lifetime, which was Nike Basketball," he said. "It was in Portland. It didn't get much better than that as a basketball player trying to find a career. When I weighed my options, it seemed like a no-brainer.
"I went ahead and hung up the shoes," Hall continued. "I had a good run."
The Nike opportunity wouldn't have arisen without Hall's experience playing professionally.
"My trainer (Erin Cowan) did a lot of the photo shoots for Nike Basketball and he asked me to help him out one time," said Hall. "It was a pretty big shoot. That's how I met the people I work with today. We kept in contact and when a job came up, they had me in mind."
Hall started as a temp his first year, but was quickly elevated into the role he's in now as a field representative. He began in Portland, but has been based out of Dallas since 2015.
"I work with all our athletes in the South region," said Hall. "I work with our NBA players with six teams, all of our Nike athletes on Dallas, San Antonio, Atlanta, Charlotte, Orlando and New Orleans."
Much of Hall's job is relationship building.
"I basically manage that relationship between the athlete, Nike and the athlete's agent," he said. "If guys are in town, I connect with them, grab dinner. I may have some gear for them, I may not, but it's managing that relationship, going to games, keeping up and making sure they're being serviced from a Nike perspective."
Relationship building is a skill Hall developed in his time at Lehigh as a captain and leader on his team… and within the athletics department.
"Dealing with people and trying to figure out different personalities definitely carries forward," he said. "But it's basketball at the end of the day. How I related to my teammates then – Zahir, Matt, Dave, CJ, Gabe – is how I relate to some of the guys in the NBA. Obviously they're on a different and higher skill level, but basketball is pretty much the same language."
Another area that was prevalent in Hall's time at Lehigh, and has carried forward, is his desire to give back.
"At Lehigh, I was part of C.O.A.C.H. (Community Outreach by Athletes who Care About Helping)," he said. "One of the big events was always Adopt-A-Family, so I'd push to make sure our team raised as much money as we could for the family we sponsored during Christmastime. [Director of Community Relations] Roseann Corsi was amazing; whatever she needed me to do, I was happy to help."
Today, Hall continues to give back, which includes helping the Erin Cowan Foundation.
"Erin was my mentor who trained me and helped me get the Nike position, but he actually passed away," said Hall. "He was huge in the Portland community as a mentor, father and coach. He trained a lot of players – men and women – was an agent and had a lot of connections. He took me under his wings.
Working closely with Erin's family, Hall helped start a scholarship in his name and give back to the Portland community.
"I was thinking about ways I could give back because so many people have done so much for me," he said. "It has been a total team effort with Erin's wife and daughters, one of my good friends Seth Tarver, and a lot of people in the Portland community."
Corsi couldn't be more proud of the impact Hall continues to make on his community.
"I am extremely proud of Marquis," she said. "I remember the day he called to tell me. I became emotional and he really brought tears to my eyes. I was just so proud of him. I know he has a passion to help others and he continues to give back as he did at Lehigh."
Whether it's C.O.A.C.H. or the Erin Cowan Foundation, Hall's motivation to give back to the community is simple.
"It feels like the right thing to do," he said. "I'm just trying to be a good person and do the right thing."
As Corsi said, "I know Marquis said he is just trying to be a good person, but let's just say this… He is a good person with a big heart."
And Lehigh played a significant role in the man Marquis Hall is today.
"Your college days really shape you," he said. "You learn who you are during those college days, and a little bit after too. Those college days are when you learn real-life lessons, whether they're good, bad or ugly. Like us losing three times in a row in the Patriot League Tournament to finally prevail and win a championship, those are things you can't teach.
"There are going to be a lot of losses, but you have to keep pushing."
Hall has pushed through losses in his life to enjoy a highly-successful career in the sport he loves.
"On the court, I was a competitor who wanted to win, which came through in my playing days," he said. "Off the court, I've always tried to make sure I'm a nice, humble person, trying to help wherever I can. Smile, say hello and be a good person no matter what.
"I feel like that's me in a nutshell."
"Me" is someone who continues to represent Lehigh University so admirably in everything he does.
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