Marreese Speights began his Polk State tenure in June 2026.
Prior to arriving at Polk State, Speights founded Speights Academy, a postgraduate program, in St. Petersburg. He also oversaw the Amateur Athletic Union program Team Speights. Speights began his college coaching career at Georgia Southern University where he spent the 2023-24 season. He served as Director of Player Development at the University of South Florida during the 2024-25 season.
Speights holds a bachelor's degree in mass communications from Union Institute in Ohio. He was the head coach of the Northside Christian School boys basketball program during the 2025-26 season and led the Mustangs to the 2A state semifinals.
Speights played collegiately at the University of Florida, helping the Gators win a second straight national championship as a freshman during the 2006-07 season. As a sophomore the following year, Speights averaged 14.5 points per game and led the team in rebounds per game (8.1), blocks per game (1.4) and field goal percentage (.624). He was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the 16th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft.
Speights went on to play 10 seasons in the NBA with the 76ers, Memphis Grizzlies, Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers and Orlando Magic. For his NBA career, the 6-foot-10 Speights averaged nearly eight points and four rebounds per game. He helped the Warriors beat the Cavaliers in the 2015 NBA Finals in six games. The following season, Speights helped Golden State set an NBA record with 73 regular season wins before making a return trip to the NBA Finals.
During his playing career, Speights played for basketball legends such as Billy Donovan, Mark Jackson, Steve Kerr, Doc Rivers, Lionel Hollins, Doug Collins, Maurice Cheeks, Byron Scott and Frank Vogel, among others. He capped his playing career by spending three seasons in China.
