A new direction for Duquesne basketball
Duquesne University’s men’s basketball program announced a series of staff adjustments that reshape the coaching landscape ahead of the upcoming season, with Head Coach Dru Joyce III outlining the changes.
Derrick Allen, a seasoned assistant coach who has worked in the NBA G‑League and abroad in Germany, Mexico and Spain, will join the staff as an assistant coach, bringing international playing experience and a network of professional contacts.
Darik Artis, who previously served as director of basketball operations for Coach Dru Joyce III, has been promoted to assistant coach and director of player development, a move that leverages his operational background and his prior roles at UC Davis and Cleveland State University.
The restructuring follows the departures of Jordan Talley and Julian Sullinger, creating a single vacancy on the eight‑person coaching staff that the university hopes to fill with fresh talent.
What the moves mean for the program
Coach Dru Joyce III said the new hires are intended to strengthen player development pipelines and to keep the program competitive in the Atlantic 10 Conference, drawing on the recruits’ experience at institutions such as Dayton University, Illinois State University and other high‑profile programs.
Both Allen and Artis are expected to contribute to recruiting efforts and to help integrate the next generation of student‑athletes into a more robust support system.