Exclusive Interview with Chase Buford via Matt Logue

Article via Matt Logue in the Daily Telegraph

The Sydney Kings have continued the franchise’s strong NBA connections through its new head coach Chase Buford – the son of a legend who built a championship dynasty at the San Antonio Spurs.

Buford’s father RC Buford steered the Spurs to five NBA titles as one of the league’s most revered executives.

Buford junior is a former player turned head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks’ G League affiliate, the Wisconsin Herd.

He has worked with some of basketball’s best talent in the Bucks’ system, including two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.

He also knows what success looks like having spent countless hours alongside his father at Spurs HQ from a young age watching stars like Hall of Famer Tim Duncan.

It’s why the Kings are thrilled to secure Buford after he connected with the club following an inspirational chat with former Sydney coach Will Weaver, who is now working with the Houston Rockets as an assistant.

“It all started when I was having lunch with Will when the Rockets came to play Milwaukee a few months ago, and I was just really eager to learn about his experience with the Kings,” Buford said.

“Coaching overseas at a club like Sydney would interest me, so I was excited to hear more about his time there.

“Will is coming from a similar experience to me. He had been a head coach in the G League but coming to Australia made him want to grow and how fun it was with the culture. The more Will went on, it was an exciting prospect to hear about.

“I think that started some conversations between Will and some of the people at the Kings and we ended up talking.

“I had some great conversations and I guess the rest is history.”

Buford is committed to the Kings after penning a long-term deal with no NBA outs despite his obvious desire to return to the world’s best league one day.

The 32-year-old, who has completed a lengthy apprenticeship in scouting and player development roles before climbing the coaching ladder, wants to step out of his father’s shadow to create his own path.

“Part of my career has always been about trying to define myself for me and not living off my Dad’s accolades,” he said.

“In the video room I’ve always taken pride in not going the easy route or not putting in my dues.

“But this is a heck of an opportunity with Sydney to grow my coaching experience at a top-level club in a top-level country.

“I’m excited to have something to call my own program along with the club’s other officials, and I’m just really fired up to get started.”

Buford was born and raised in San Antonio, but he has been surrounded by Sydney Kings royalty his entire life.

It first started when his father hired ex-Kings coach Brett Brown as an unpaid member of the Spurs’ operations department during the 1998-1999 lockout season.

Brown was then elevated to a role in player development before becoming an assistant coach at San Antonio, where he was involved in four NBA championships.

Buford has also built close relationships with Kings royalty like former captain Matt Nielsen, who is now coaching San Antonio’s G League affiliate the Texas Spurs.

“So, for me personally, I guess I’ve always had an affinity with the Kings,” he said.

“We’ve been really close to Brett Brown through my family for a long time. I’ve got to work under Brett, but I’ve also got to be around him as a kid, and I admire him a lot as a person.

“But with his time coaching the Kings, they were the only team I knew about in Australia except for the Melbourne Tigers with Andrew Gaze after his stint with the Spurs.

“I think the Kings have always been an interesting club for me personally, but around the world it is a desired job. A lot of people like Gaze, Brian Goorjian have coached there, so it is pretty cool to follow in the steps of some of those guys.”

Buford’s signing has already sparked excitement within Sydney’s playing ranks, with one player remarking: “This is the guy to get me to the NBA.”

Kings legend and owner Andrew Bogut is equally excited.

Bogut believes Buford’s links to the G League will be “invaluable” in attracting NBA talent.

He is also a huge fan of the new coach’s passion, which reached boiling point in February 2020 when he was suspended for two G League games for criticising the officiating after the Herd copped 21 personal fouls in a loss.

Buford told reporters the referees’ performance had been “unprofessional” and “embarrassing.” He also singled out referee Matt Rafferty, whom he called a “f--king clown”.

These fiery comments were the first thing Bogut found on Google when he started the research process on Buford.

“But we actually like that,” Bogut said.

“We like the fact that he is passionate, he wears his heart on his sleeve and he felt like he was hard done by in that game.

“He copped a fine, and he will probably cop a fine if he does it in the NBL, but we like that.

“Any coach that will go out there and jeopardise losing money out of his own pocket for his team is a good thing for us.”