View source for Greg Buckner

{{short description|American basketball player and coach}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Greg Buckner
| image = 
| width = 
| caption = 
| team = [[Milwaukee Bucks]]
| position = Assistant coach
| league = [[National Basketball Association|NBA]]
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1976|09|16}}
| birth_place = [[Hopkinsville, Kentucky]], U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 4
| weight_lb = 210
| high_school = [[University Heights Academy]]<br />(Hopkinsville, Kentucky)
| college = [[Clemson Tigers men's basketball|Clemson]] (1994–1998)
| draft_year = 1998
| draft_round = 2
| draft_pick = 53
| draft_team = [[Dallas Mavericks]]
| career_start = 1998
| career_end = 2009
| career_position = [[Shooting guard]]
| career_number = 21, 7, 1
| coach_start = 2011
| coach_end = 
| years1 = 1998–1999
| team1 = [[Grand Rapids Hoops]]
| years2 = {{nbay|1999|start}}–{{nbay|2001|end}}
| team2 = [[Dallas Mavericks]]
| years3 = {{nbay|2002|start}}–{{nbay|2003|end}}
| team3 = [[Philadelphia 76ers]]
| years4 = {{nbay|2004|start}}–{{nbay|2005|end}}
| team4 = [[Denver Nuggets]]
| years5 = {{nbay|2006|full=y}}
| team5 = [[Dallas Mavericks]]
| years6 = {{nbay|2007|full=y}}
| team6 = [[Minnesota Timberwolves]]
| years7 = {{nbay|2008|full=y}}
| team7 = [[Memphis Grizzlies]]
| cyears1 = {{nbay|2011|start}}-{{nbay|2016|end}}
| cteam1 = [[Houston Rockets]] (assistant)
| cyears2 = {{nbay|2017|start}}–{{nbay|2018|end}}
| cteam2 = [[Memphis Grizzlies]] (assistant)
| cyears3 = {{nbay|2020|start}}–{{nbay|2023|end}}
| cteam3 = [[Cleveland Cavaliers]] (assistant)




| highlights = 
'''As a player:'''
* 2× Second-team [[List of All-Atlantic Coast Conference men's basketball teams|All-ACC]] (1997, 1998)
* [[Atlantic Coast Conference Men's Basketball Rookie of the Year|ACC Rookie of the Year]] (1995)
'''As assistant coach:'''
* [[List of NBA Cup champions|NBA Cup champion]] ([[2024 NBA Cup|2024]])
| stats_league = NBA
| stat1label = [[Point (basketball)|Points]]
| stat1value = 2,878 (5.0 ppg)
| stat2label = [[Rebound (basketball)|Rebounds]]
| stat2value = 1,593 (2.8 rpg)
| stat3label = [[Assist (basketball)|Assists]]
| stat3value = 719 (1.3 apg)
| medal_templates = {{MedalSport | Men's [[Basketball]]}}
{{MedalCountry|{{USA}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Summer Universiade]]}}
{{MedalGold| [[Basketball at the 1997 Summer Universiade|1997 Trapani]] | [[United States national basketball team|Team competition]]}}
| cteam4 = [[Milwaukee Bucks]] (assistant)
| cyears4 = {{nbay|2024|start}}–present
}}
'''Gregory Derayle Buckner''' (born September 16, 1976) is an American former professional [[basketball]] player who is an assistant coach for the [[Milwaukee Bucks]] of the [[National Basketball Association]] (NBA). He had previously served as an assistant coach for the [[Memphis Grizzlies]] and the [[Cleveland Cavaliers]].

Selected in the second round (53rd pick overall) of the [[1998 NBA draft]] by the [[Dallas Mavericks]] after playing college basketball at [[Clemson Tigers men's basketball|Clemson]], he played for the Mavericks, [[Philadelphia 76ers]], [[Denver Nuggets]], [[Minnesota Timberwolves]] and Grizzlies. Buckner's first professional experience came with the [[Grand Rapids Hoops]] of the [[Continental Basketball Association]] (CBA), where he averaged 8.6 points and 3.9 rebounds per game in the 1998–99 season.<ref>1999–2000 Official CBA Guide and Register, page 250</ref>

==Playing career==

===College career===
During his time with the [[Clemson Tigers men's basketball|Clemson Tigers]], he started all 122 games of his career while guiding the team to three [[NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|NCAA tournament]]s. Buckner led the team in scoring all four years becoming the first Clemson Tiger to do so.{{citation needed|date=April 2021}} In 1995, Buckner was named [[Atlantic Coast Conference Men's Basketball Rookie of the Year|ACC Rookie of the Year]]. He was entered into the Clemson Athletic Hall of Fame in 2005.

===Professional career===
After playing with the [[Dallas Mavericks]] from 1999 to 2002, Buckner signed with the [[Philadelphia 76ers]] as a free agent.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ford |first1=Chad |title=Buckner agrees to deal with 76ers |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/news/2002/0725/1409865.html |website=ESPN.com |access-date=April 22, 2021 |date=July 25, 2002}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Philadelphia 76ers sign two free agents |url=https://www.upi.com/Sports_News/2002/07/25/Philadelphia-76ers-sign-two-free-agents/80231027629128/ |website=UPI |access-date=April 22, 2021 |date=July 25, 2002}}</ref> Then he signed with the Denver Nuggets. In 2006, he re-signed with the Dallas Mavericks, but after one season,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Thompson |first1=Adam |last2=Spears |first2=Marc J. |title=Nuggets lose Buckner to Mavs |url=https://www.denverpost.com/2006/07/12/nuggets-lose-buckner-to-mavs/ |website=The Denver Post |access-date=April 22, 2021 |date=July 12, 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Greg Buckner Signed by the Dallas Mavericks |url=https://clemsontigers.com/greg-buckner-signed-by-the-dallas-mavericks/ |website=Clemson Tigers |access-date=April 22, 2021 |date=14 July 2006}}</ref> he was traded to the Timberwolves for [[Trenton Hassell]] on September 28, 2007.<ref>{{cite web |title=Minnesota trades Hassell to Mavericks for Buckner |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/news/story/_/id/3041680 |website=ESPN.com |access-date=April 22, 2021 |date=September 28, 2007}}</ref> On June 27, 2008, the Timberwolves traded him to the [[Memphis Grizzlies]] with [[O. J. Mayo]], [[Marko Jarić]], and [[Antoine Walker]] for [[Kevin Love]], [[Mike Miller (basketball, born 1980)|Mike Miller]], [[Brian Cardinal]], and [[Jason Collins]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Grizzlies acquire Mayo and three players from Minnesota |url=https://www.nba.com/grizzlies/news/grizzlies_aquire_mayo_plus_three_from_mn-080627.html |website=NBA.com |access-date=April 22, 2021 |date=June 27, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Ford |first1=Chad |title=Mayo heads to Memphis, Love to Minnesota in blockbuster trade |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/draft2008/news/story?id=3463045 |website=ESPN.com |access-date=April 22, 2021 |date=June 27, 2008}}</ref>

On July 9, 2009, Buckner was traded to the [[Dallas Mavericks]] as a part of the four-team deal among Grizzlies, Mavericks, [[Orlando Magic]] and [[Toronto Raptors]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Mavericks acquire four-time All-Star Shawn Marion |url=http://www.nba.com/mavericks/roster/shawnmarion.html |website=NBA.com |access-date=April 22, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090712003048/http://www.nba.com/mavericks/roster/shawnmarion.html |archive-date=July 12, 2009 |date=July 9, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Stein |first1=Marc |title=Four-team trade gets league OK |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/news/story?id=4316885 |website=ESPN.com |access-date=April 22, 2021 |date=July 9, 2009}}</ref>

==Coaching career==
On July 29, 2011, he joined the [[Houston Rockets]] as a player development coach,<ref>{{cite web |title=Rockets Add Greg Buckner to Coaching Staff |url=https://www.nba.com/rockets/news/rockets_add_greg_buckner__co_2011_07_29.html |website=NBA.com |access-date=April 22, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150424004100/https://www.nba.com/rockets/news/rockets_add_greg_buckner__co_2011_07_29.html |archive-date=April 24, 2015 |date=July 29, 2011}}</ref> serving for five seasons. Buckner reached the playoffs three times with the team as part of the coaching staff. He would later become an assistant coach with the [[Memphis Grizzlies]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Grizzlies hire Greg Buckner as assistant coach |url=https://www.nba.com/grizzlies/news/grizzlies-hire-greg-buckner-as-assistant-coach-171207 |website=NBA.com |access-date=April 22, 2021 |date=December 8, 2017}}</ref> and in November 2020, became an assistant coach with the [[Cleveland Cavaliers]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Fedor |first1=Chris |title=Cleveland Cavaliers hire Greg Buckner as assistant coach, sources say |url=https://www.cleveland.com/cavs/2020/11/cleveland-cavaliers-hire-greg-buckner-as-assistant-coach-sources-say.html |website=cleveland |access-date=April 22, 2021 |date=November 30, 2020}}</ref> On April 21, 2021, Buckner got his first NBA head coaching victory when he temporarily replaced head coach [[J. B. Bickerstaff]] as the Cavaliers won 121–105 against the [[Chicago Bulls]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Collin Sexton scores 30 points, Cavs beat Bulls 121-105 |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=401307679 |website=ESPN.com |access-date=April 22, 2021 |date=April 21, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Fedor |first1=Chris |title=Cleveland Cavaliers get Greg Buckner first NBA head-coaching win in J.B. Bickerstaff's absence, avenge loss to Chicago Bulls 121-105 |url=https://www.cleveland.com/cavs/2021/04/cleveland-cavaliers-get-greg-buckner-first-nba-head-coaching-win-in-jb-bickerstaffs-absence-avenge-loss-to-chicago-bulls-121-105.html |website=cleveland |access-date=April 22, 2021 |date=April 21, 2021}}</ref> On June 13, 2022, the Cavaliers promoted Buckner to associate head coach position.<ref>{{cite web |title=Cleveland Cavaliers Promote Greg Buckner to Associate Head Coach |url=https://www.nba.com/cavaliers/news/buckner-promotion |website=NBA.com |access-date=June 14, 2022 |date=June 13, 2022}}</ref>

==Career statistics==
{{NBA player statistics legend}}

===Regular season===
{{NBA player statistics start}}
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1999|trunc=y}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1999–2000 Dallas Mavericks season|Dallas]]
| 48 || 1 || 19.2 || .476 || .385 || .683 || 3.6 || 1.1 || .8 || '''.4''' || 5.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|2000}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2000–01 Dallas Mavericks season|Dallas]]
| 37 || 9 || 22.2 || .438 || .286 || .728 || '''4.2''' || 1.3 || .9 || .2 || 6.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|2001}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2001–02 Dallas Mavericks season|Dallas]]
| 44 || 16 || 20.1 || .525 || .313 || .690 || 3.9 || 1.1 || .7 || '''.4''' || 5.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|2002}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2002–03 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia]]
| 75 || 5 || 20.2 || .465 || .273 || .802 || 2.9 || 1.3 || 1.0 || .2 || 6.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|2003}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2003–04 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia]]
| 53 || 3 || 13.3 || .377 || .273 || .741 || 1.9 || .8 || .4 || .1 || 3.1
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|2004}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2004–05 Denver Nuggets season|Denver]]
| 70 || '''41''' || 21.7 || '''.528''' || '''.405''' || .778 || 3.0 || '''1.9''' || 1.1 || .1 || 6.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|2005}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2005–06 Denver Nuggets season|Denver]]
| 73 || 27 || '''24.1''' || .434 || .354 || .782 || 2.9 || 1.7 || '''1.2''' || .3 || '''6.7'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|2006}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2006–07 Dallas Mavericks season|Dallas]]
| '''76''' || 11 || 18.1 || .411 || .311 || .794 || 2.1 || .9 || .6 || .1 || 4.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|2007}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2007–08 Minnesota Timberwolves season|Minnesota]]
| 31 || 4 || 16.8 || .385 || .300 || '''.864''' || 2.1 || 1.3 || .7 || .1 || 4.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|2008}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2008–09 Memphis Grizzlies season|Memphis]]
| 63 || 0 || 13.9 || .384 || .255 || .800 || 2.1 || .9 || .5 || .1 || 2.5
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career
| 570 || 117 || 19.1 || .450 || .334 || .757 || 2.8 || 1.3 || .8 || .2 || 5.0
{{s-end}}

===Playoffs===
{{NBA player statistics start}}
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2001 NBA playoffs|2001]]
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2000–01 Dallas Mavericks season|Dallas]]
| 5 || 0 || 15.0 || .478 || '''.333''' || .700 || '''4.2''' || .6 || '''1.0''' || .0 || 6.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2002 NBA playoffs|2002]]
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2001–02 Dallas Mavericks season|Dallas]]
| 7 || 0 || 15.0 || '''.480''' || .000 || .750 || 3.7 || .6 || .4 || .1 || 3.9
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2003 NBA playoffs|2003]]
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2002–03 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia]]
| '''10''' || 0 || 11.2 || .323 || .222 || '''1.000''' || 1.7 || .3 || .1 || '''.2''' || 2.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2005 NBA playoffs|2005]]
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2004–05 Denver Nuggets season|Denver]]
| 5 || 2 || 20.0 || .222 || .222 || {{sort|-|—}} || 3.2 || 1.0 || .4 || '''.2''' || 2.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2006 NBA playoffs|2006]]
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2005–06 Denver Nuggets season|Denver]]
| 5 || '''4''' || '''27.4''' || .418 || .313 || .875 || 2.8 || '''1.2''' || .6 || '''.2''' || '''12.6'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2007 NBA playoffs|2007]]
| style="text-align:left;"|[[2006–07 Dallas Mavericks season|Dallas]]
| 6 || 0 || 7.3 || .000 || .000 || .500 || 1.0 || .3 || .3 || '''.2''' || .2
|- class="sortbottom"
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career
| 38 || 6 || 15.1 || .377 || .259 || .786 || 2.6 || .6 || .4 || .2 || 4.1
{{s-end}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{basketballstats |nba=1761 |bbr=b/buckngr01}}

{{Milwaukee Bucks current roster}}
{{1998 NBA draft}}
{{Milwaukee Bucks 2024 NBA Cup champions}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Buckner, Greg}}
[[Category:1976 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American sportsmen]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American sportsmen]]
[[Category:21st-century American sportsmen]]
[[Category:American men's basketball players]]
[[Category:Basketball coaches from Kentucky]]
[[Category:Basketball players from Kentucky]]
[[Category:Clemson Tigers men's basketball players]]
[[Category:Cleveland Cavaliers assistant coaches]]
[[Category:Dallas Mavericks draft picks]]
[[Category:Dallas Mavericks players]]
[[Category:Denver Nuggets players]]
[[Category:Houston Rockets assistant coaches]]
[[Category:Grand Rapids Hoops players]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1997 Summer Universiade]]
[[Category:Memphis Grizzlies assistant coaches]]
[[Category:Memphis Grizzlies players]]
[[Category:Minnesota Timberwolves players]]
[[Category:Philadelphia 76ers players]]
[[Category:Shooting guards]]
[[Category:Small forwards]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Hopkinsville, Kentucky]]
[[Category:FISU World University Games gold medalists for the United States]]
[[Category:Summer World University Games medalists in basketball]]