Chaisson Allen named Wisconsin Herd Head Coach
Allen has coached Wisconsin before, and seems like a great fit for the gig. Plus more Herd news.
The Wisconsin Herd’s new head coach actually isn’t new to the Herd, as Chaisson Allen, who served as an assistant on Chase Buford’s coaching staff during the 2019-20 Herd season, will be leading Wisconsin starting in November as the Herd returns to action.
Allen actually has some Herd head coaching experience, as he was tapped to lead the team during Buford’s two-game suspension for calling out the officials after a loss in February 2020. Wisconsin went 2-0 in those two games with Allen steering the ship, and the organization certainly hopes to continue winning games he coaches.
“We are very excited to have Chaisson continue to grow within our Bucks and Herd family as the new Wisconsin Herd Head Coach,” Bucks general manager Jon Horst stated in a Herd press release. “His ability to lead, teach, and communicate make him a perfect fit for this position in Oshkosh.”
In addition to the leadership and player development skills that are important to coaching at any level, communication is vital in the G League. A rift became apparent between many Herd players and the franchise’s first head coach, Jordan Brady, and it resulted in largely losing basketball and Brady’s eventual dismissal after a promising beginning.
Buford’s ability to foster strong chemistry in the locker room, on the other hand, was integral to his group maintaining a stellar level of play even with the typical churn and lineup volatility that comes with coaching in the G League. The Bucks organization definitely is aiming to keep that culture going, and according to forward Leon Gilmore, who played for Buford in 19-20, choosing Allen was a savvy move to accomplish it.
“CA is the GOAT!” Gilmore said. “Chillest guy you’ll meet off the court, and still competitive on the court ‘til this day! Any one of those assistants were fit for that job, that was a very special group of guys.”
As Gilmore mentioned, Allen is no slouch on the court – he was a three-time CAA All-Defensive honoree and also was named First Team All-CAA twice during his time playing at Northeastern, and he played professionally for five years overseas as well. He seems like an ideal hire to carry forward the good vibes, and good results, of Buford’s Herd tenure.
In other Wisconsin Herd news, the team also announced that former Herd general manager Dave Dean is no longer running operations for the G League team, as he’s focusing entirely on NBA duties now. Two returning staffers, Tony Bollier and Arte Culver, were promoted to GM and assistant GM, respectively, to take over for Dean as he focuses on Bucks responsibilities.
“Now is the ideal time to transition our key front office responsibilities to Tony and Arte,” Horst stated in a Herd press release. “Both are beyond deserving of this new challenge and opportunity. Dave Dean, who has been GM of the Herd since its inception in 2018, will now have more time to focus on his ever-increasing value and responsibilities with the Bucks. We thank Dave for his tireless efforts in helping to make the Herd a best-in-class and successful G League franchise.”
Bollier and Culver have large shoes to fill, as Dean was able to bring in a lot of talent to the Herd over their three seasons of existence, although both of them working with him for much of that time should mean they’re more than ready to fill in.