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Wisconsin Herd: Jordan Brady is ready for the challenge of leading an expansion team

By Ti Windisch

OSHKOSH, WI - AUGUST 11: Wisconsin Herd president Steve Brandes (left) introduces Herd general manager Dave Dean (center) and head coach Jordan Brady (right) during a press conference at the Oshkosh Convention Center on August 11, 2017 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images)
OSHKOSH, WI - AUGUST 11: Wisconsin Herd president Steve Brandes (left) introduces Herd general manager Dave Dean (center) and head coach Jordan Brady (right) during a press conference at the Oshkosh Convention Center on August 11, 2017 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Wisconsin Herd head coach Jordan Brady may be young, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t prepared for the challenges of leading an expansion team forward.

Eight years ago, Jordan Brady was coming off of the bench for the Utah Flash, a successful team in what was then known as the D-League. After going undrafted in the 2008 NBA Draft, Brady was a young player looking to gain experience and keep on playing professional basketball.

A lot can change in eight years. The Utah Flash are now the Delaware 87ers, the D-League is now the G League, and Jordan Brady is now the head coach of the Wisconsin Herd, a team that itself didn’t exist until several months ago.

One thing that hasn’t changed is Brady being relatively young, especially when compared to his peers. G League coaches tend to be younger than their NBA counterparts, but at age 34 Brady is still one of the younger head coaches in the business.

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He doesn’t yet have the name recognition of someone like Jerry Stackhouse, who led the Raptors 905 to a G League championship last season in part thanks to players buying into him as an experienced leader and a basketball legend.

Still, Brady is confident he’ll have the Herd on the same page this season, even if it won’t be because young guys on the team are in awe of his NBA résumé.

“I think it would be a little bit different,” Brady said. “You know, I don’t have the same kind of basketball status that Jerry Stackhouse does. For me, one of the ways I feel it is important to get players to buy in is they have to know I’m invested as well. I really want the players to know how serious I am about their development and how much I want them to succeed individually.”

Even if he’s not Stack, Brady does have the kind of experience that will suit him well for coaching the Herd. In addition to the standard fare of serving as an assistant coach on the G League level, Brady was a player not too long ago as well. The transition from one to the other was recent enough for the Herd’s head coach to understand and remember what his guys are going through.

That transition was unexpected for Brady, but not unwelcomed. At age 28, with a daughter on the way and without any especially lucrative contracts lurking, a former coach of Brady’s called and offered him an assistant coaching position. Since making the move down the bench, Brady hasn’t found much he doesn’t like about the role. There is one thing, though — the lack of control that a player gets to work on their craft and then go out there and perform.

"“As a coach, there are a lot of things you don’t have direct control over. You prepare, you help your team to prepare, and once the ball goes up you’ve got to count on that preparation.”"

Not having direct control over things is a common feeling for anyone working in the G League. Within the last week or so, two players Brady expected to have on the Herd’s inaugural roster — Vince Hunter and Jalen Moore — have both moved on. Hunter was signed by the Memphis Grizzlies to a two-way deal, and Moore and the Bucks decided to part ways and he was released from his two-way deal.

"“You just move forward with it. There are a lot of challenges in professional basketball. With Vince Hunter, we have his G League rights, and I’m personally excited for Vince for signing his two-way contract with Memphis. With Jalen Moore, it just ended up not being a fit. Those are just some of the things you deal with, especially at this level.”"

Reinforcements are on the way. According to Brady, the Herd is expecting multiple players selected in the G League Expansion Draft to report to camp, although he didn’t want to go into specifics due to how quickly things can change for either side. Job offers have been made to potential assistant coaches as well, and an announcement on who will fill out Brady’s staff should be coming from the Herd in the coming weeks.

As for the two-way contract opening, although the Herd staff has the ability to weigh in, the NBA club makes the call on who is signed with that spot.

"“I have a little bit of input with those decisions, and the management staff is really good at getting my opinion and also getting my input, but those are decisions that are going to be made by the Milwaukee Bucks. Those two-way contracts are Bucks contracts, so the decision they make is going to be what they feel like is best for the Milwaukee Bucks.”"

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More players will be added via the G League Draft on October 21, as well as after training camp when the Herd can add affiliate players. Additionally, there’s a chance Jabari Parker could see some time in Oshkosh as well, as part of his rehab. Brady said the G League becoming more and more of a true minor league to the NBA could lead to more of that down the line.

“Jabari’s timeline is still out there quite a ways, but that is definitely becoming a more realistic use of the G League,” Brady said. “Whether Jabari ends up having a rehab assignment with us or not, the league is definitely trending in that direction.”

No matter which players do — or don’t — end up playing on his Wisconsin Herd this season, Jordan Brady is going to make it work. G League teams are usually in flux, but amid the chaos, the Herd’s first head coach is going to be loving his new gig.

“For me to be a part of it at this level, it’s exciting,” he said. “It’s a blessing. I couldn’t be happier.”

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