Bucks G League: 2nd-year option picked up for Wisconsin Herd head coach Chase Buford
The Wisconsin Herd, the Milwaukee Bucks G League affiliate, announced late Tuesday afternoon that they have exercised the second-year option for head coach Chase Buford.
The Wisconsin Herd’s dream 2019-20 season may have come to an unceremonious end, but a key piece will be on the sidelines for the 2020-21 campaign.
On Tuesday afternoon, the Herd announced that they have unsurprisingly picked up the second-year option in head coach Chase Buford’s contract.
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Bucks vice president of basketball operations and Herd general manager Dave Dean included a statement on his decision to pick up Buford’s option within the team’s press release:
"“Chase has done a tremendous job in his first season at the helm,” said Milwaukee Bucks Vice President of Basketball Operations and Wisconsin Herd General Manager Dave Dean. “As an organization, we’re thrilled to have Chase return for a second season, and we look forward to his leadership and continued development as we build off the current campaign.”"
There’s no question that Dean and the Bucks’ organization likely didn’t have to think long and hard about picking up Buford’s option.
Buford oversaw a Herd team that had undergone a worst-to-first turnaround as they ended up finishing with a G League-best 33-10 record before the season was suspended nearly two months ago.
Not only that, but with Buford and his coaching staff’s guidance, the player development that was clearly evident in Oshkosh resulted in plenty of individual success stories throughout the season.
That was headlined by the call-up of Rayjon Tucker, second-year guard Jaylen Adams getting the call to play for Team USA during AmeriCup qualifiers, and both players as well as two-way player Frank Mason III winning either Player of the Week or Month honors.
Even Buford was among those to get recognized for his and the team’s success as he was named G League Coach of the Month in January.
But clearly, Buford’s pedigree and the imprint he has been able to make in being able to develop Herd players, and Bucks players on assignment, as well as mirror the system set from on high with the Bucks and head coach Mike Budenholzer has made him perfect for what they seek at the G League level.
Whether Buford will be in place long after next season may be another question in and of itself. After all, the G League is meant for development for both players and coaches and with another successful campaign, he might find himself in demand to further his coaching journey some time soon.
dark. Next. Imagining a documentary on the early 1970s Bucks
For now, Buford will stay in the Fox Valley and if this season was any glimpse into the future, he’ll look to build on the success the Herd enjoyed this year.