Chase Buford
Chase Buford | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 25, 1988 San Antonio, Texas, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Basketball coach, former player |
| Years active | 2015–present |
| Known for | Assistant coach for Kansas Jayhawks; head coach of Wisconsin Herd and Sydney Kings |
Chase Robert Buford (born October 25, 1988) is an American professional basketball coach and former player, currently serving as an assistant coach for the Kansas Jayhawks. He competed collegiately at Kansas and was a member of the team that secured the 2008 NCAA Tournament championship. Buford held the head coaching position with the Wisconsin Herd in the NBA G League from 2019 through 2021. Subsequently, from 2021 to 2023, he led the Sydney Kings of Australia's NBL to back-to-back titles.
Coaching career
Beginning his career as a regional scout with the Atlanta Hawks, Buford progressed to a video intern role. Between 2015 and 2017, he served as the player development coordinator for the Chicago Bulls. In 2017, he joined the coaching staff of the Hawks’ G League team, the Erie Bayhawks, as an assistant coach. On September 14, 2018, Buford was appointed assistant coach for the Delaware Blue Coats, the G League affiliate of the Philadelphia 76ers.
Wisconsin Herd
In 2019, Buford took over as head coach of the Wisconsin Herd, which serves as the G League affiliate for the Milwaukee Bucks. During the 2020 campaign, he guided the team to first place before the season was suspended and eventually canceled in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Buford attracted national media attention in 2021 after receiving a two-game suspension following a public outburst criticizing officiating during a game where his team surrendered a 21-point lead in the fourth quarter. He issued an apology afterward, characterizing his conduct as "unprofessional" and expressing embarrassment.
Sydney Kings
On June 25, 2021, Buford was named head coach of Australia's NBL team, the Sydney Kings. Under his leadership, the Kings achieved consecutive NBL championships in 2022 and 2023, marking important milestones for the organization. Buford and Sydney mutually agreed to part ways on May 16, 2023.
Kansas
In June 2024, Buford joined the coaching staff of the Kansas Jayhawks as an assistant coach.
Personal life
Buford’s father, R. C., who previously worked as an assistant coach at Kansas and with the San Antonio Spurs, currently holds the position of CEO with the Spurs.
External links
- 1988 births
- Living people
- American men's basketball players
- Atlanta Hawks scouts
- Basketball coaches from Texas
- Basketball players from San Antonio
- Chicago Bulls executives
- Delaware Blue Coats coaches
- Erie BayHawks (2017–2019) coaches
- Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball players
- Point guards
- Shooting guards
- Sportspeople from San Antonio
- Sydney Kings coaches
- Wisconsin Herd coaches