On Friday, Bill Self announced that assistant coach Chase Buford was leaving the staff to join the Denver Nuggets. With Buford making the move to the NBA, Self noted that he’s in the process of looking for a replacement. “Chase just got hired by the Nuggets, so I’m in the process—he got an assistant coach’s […]
On Friday, Bill Self announced that assistant coach Chase Buford was leaving the staff to join the Denver Nuggets. With Buford making the move to the NBA, Self noted that he’s in the process of looking for a replacement.
“Chase just got hired by the Nuggets, so I’m in the process—he got an assistant coach’s job,” said Self. “It’s a great gig for him and I’m happy for him, and he did a really good job here. But I’m in the process of looking into some different things, but I haven’t done anything yet.
“I feel like I’ve got the scope kind of narrowed down of what I think would be good for us, but I haven’t done anything yet,” he added.
Chase Buford won a National Championship at KU
Buford, a member of KU’s 2008 NCAA National Championship team, joined Self’s staff as an assistant coach in June 2024.
During his three (2007-08 to 2009-10) seasons, Buford saw action in 35 games, including 13 contests during KU’s 2007-08 national championship run.
Following his playing days, Buford worked as an NBA regional scout and later worked in the video department for the Atlanta Hawks.
In 2015, he was the coordinator of player development for the Chicago Bulls. He eventually became an assistant coach for the Erie Bayhawks of the NBA G League in 2017.
Buford, the following year, was named an assistant coach for the G League’s Delaware Blue Coats.
Buford, in 2019, was named head coach of the Wisconsin Herd (G League affiliate of Milwaukee).
In 2020, he led the Herd to a first-place finish in the league, but the season was suspended and later canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Buford (2021) became the head coach of the Sydney Kings of the National Basketball League in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. He guided the Kings to two NBL championships in 2022 and 2023.
Buford is the son of San Antonio Spurs CEO R.C. Buford. R.C. was an assistant coach at Kansas for five seasons under head coach Larry Brown from 1983-84 to 1987-88. Kansas won the 1988 NCAA National Championship with R.C. Buford on staff.
Category: General Sports
