SHELBYVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) – Saturday and Sunday, the family and friends of late star Shelby County basketball player Donovan Marshall-Johnson are hosting a basketball tournament in his honor.
They tell WAVE he not only loved the game, but loved his community, and this tournament, held at Shelby County Highschool, combines both.
“We know he’s looking down and just loving every minute of it,” said David Marshall, Donovan’s uncle.
Exactly two years ago Saturday, Donovan was killed in a car crash, before he could accomplish one of his biggest goals.
“Dirt Bowl is something that he ate, breathed, slept…just everything Dirt Bowl,” said Charlotte Marshall, Donovan’s cousin and former athletic director at Shelby County High School. “One of his ultimate goals and visions was to bring it to Shelbyville, and to play at his home high school.”
While it’s the tournament’s second year, it’s its first year under the Don32 Legacy Foundation, which his family members started in his memory.
His brother, Jonathan Marshall, tells WAVE the foundation is just getting started, and will include initiatives to help Shelby County’s youth– something Donovan was passionate about.
“He had a book bag drive. We do the school supply drive in his honor. He really mentored the youth in a big way,” said Jonathan. “This year, we’re hoping to get our scholarship up and running and then also, some other programs to like, push and more career focused, especially for the high school aged kids.”
While his family plans to grow the foundation, they say this tournament will always be at the heart of it, because it’s what Donovan would have wanted.
“It’s amazing how basketball connects people, and when we reach out to people about what we’re doing, so many people…and it gets emotional, because ’oh yeah, I remember Donovan, I know Donovan,’ and we’re all in on it,” said David Marshall. “And so, for us, it’s just more about bringing everybody together and enjoying this and presenting it, because it’s his way of giving back, without him being here.”
The last day of the tournament is Sunday, and the winning team will take home $5,000.
Copyright 2025 WAVE. All rights reserved.