Seifert was the voice of basketball and softball through the 1980s and into the early 1990s.
But before he turned to commentary and the world of art — he was an art dealer in the city for decades — he was a player and coach.
He built up a tremendous rapport with the players he led. About 40 of them will attend his reunion dinner.
The event is going to be filmed and is being dubbed "Conversations with Marshall".
Basically, it is an opportunity to reminisce and some old footage will shown on a big screen.
Basketball Otago will present Seifert with a service award and he will also be officially presented with a trophy in his name which his former players havedonated.
It will be presented each year to the most outstanding and innovative coach in Otago.
Seifert is chuffed about that.
He helped lure many a promising player south so they could study physical education and play basketball in the city.
"That’s what I'm most proud of, is that they all decided to come to Otago phys-ed school. So I feel like I helped," Seifert said.
"It wasn’t just sport — they got an education as well — and their lives changed from what it would have been."
His daughter, Leah Seifert, said her father had a big impact on people’s lives.
"Dad showed them they could get an education ... and still play high-level basketball," she said.
"They were from humble, conservative upbringings and Dad made them realise they could do more.
"They hadn't met anyone like him before — [an] exotic, enthusiastic Yank from New York making them believe anything was possible."
The event will also double as a book launch. Seifert has been working on his memoirs for a few years and Marshall Lore Vol. 1 is mostly about his involvement in New Zealand basketball.
The second volume, which will be come out later, is about the New Zealand art world.
Former Tall Black and writer John Saker is master of ceremonies tonight and also the editor of the books.
