Maryland basketball legend Juan Dixon wants to strengthen the program through Shell Shock.
Shell Shock will compete in The Basketball Tournament (TBT) this July. TBT is a 64-team, 5-on-5, single-elimination tournament with teams competing for a winner-take-all $1 million prize. Shell Shock is made up of many former Terps, with Dixon leading the charge as head coach. Shell Shock begins play on July 18 in the James Madison University regional against Love Virginia.
Dixon played at Maryland from 1998-2002, helping lead the Terps to their first and only national championship as a senior in 2002. He went on to play seven seasons in the NBA. Dixon began his coaching career at Maryland as a special assistant under former head coach Mark Turgeon from 2013-2016. He was the head coach at Coppin State from 2017-2023.
Some players competing for Shell Shock include former Terps Melo Trimble, Darryl Morsell, L.G. Gill, Xavier Green and Varun Ram. Dixon hopes that through TBT, former Maryland players can engage with the basketball program again and show alumni support for the new coaching staff.
“Over the years since [Gary] Williams retired, I don’t think a lot of former players felt like they were a part of what Maryland men’s basketball was doing,” Dixon said on Glenn Clark Radio June 19. “It’s nothing against Turgeon or nothing against [Kevin] Willard. We also have to show a united front to the head coaches that we’re here to support them and help them feel as comfortable as possible. And with this TBT Shell Shock, that’s exactly what we’re doing.”
Dixon hopes Shell Shock can trigger a greater connection between former Terps and the current squad.
“Most importantly, it’s about building this brotherhood up, this coalition, so that we’re all working toward a common goal, and that’s helping Maryland basketball achieve another national title,” Dixon said. “That’s what this is all about. It’s simply about helping Maryland basketball elevate to a top-10 program consistently year in and year out. And hopefully we can help coach Buzz [Williams] and his team win a national championship in the near future.”
Former Maryland head coach Kevin Willard left for Villanova after three seasons with the Terps following a Sweet 16 exit in March. The school quickly hired former Texas A&M, Virginia Tech and Marquette head coach Buzz Williams to replace Willard.
Dixon says former Terps want to help Williams in any way possible.
“Letting everyone know, whether it’s alumni, student body, fans, administration, that the former players love Maryland athletics, we love Maryland as an institution, but we really, really worked hard during our time as Maryland basketball players to help this rich program get to where it is,” Dixon said. “So we’re here to support Coach Buzz in any way we can, and we want to show folks that we’re going to show a united front.”
Dixon and other former Maryland players would be interested in landing a spot on Williams’ coaching staff at some point in the future if the fit is right for both sides.
“There’s coaches out here that’s more than capable of helping Maryland basketball get back to the level where Coach Buzz wants it to,” Dixon said. “It’s just a matter of us coming together, working as one, supporting one another and hopefully in the future, Coach Buzz trusts us enough to know that we are about his vision. We want to be part of his team.”
Dixon, who won 51 games in six seasons at Coppin, wants to get back to coaching.
“There’s no doubt that when it comes to coaching, it’s my purpose, it’s my passion, it’s my why,” Dixon said. “I was very fortunate to play basketball for many years, but when it comes to understanding the game and understanding young people, working hard, I know what it looks like.”
For more from Dixon, listen to the full interview here:
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