Gregory Derayle Buckner (born September 16, 1976) is an American former professional

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...

player who is an assistant coach for the

Milwaukee Bucks The Milwaukee Bucks are an American professional basketball team based in Milwaukee. The Bucks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), East ...

of the

National Basketball Association The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Ca ...

(NBA). He had previously served as an assistant coach for the

Memphis Grizzlies The Memphis Grizzlies (referred to locally as the Grizz) are an American professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee. The Grizzlies compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division of the ...

and the

Cleveland Cavaliers The Cleveland Cavaliers, often referred to as the Cavs, are an American professional basketball team based in Cleveland. The Cavaliers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Divis ...

. Selected in the second round (53rd pick overall) of the

1998 NBA draft The 1998 NBA draft took place on June 24, 1998, at General Motors Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. This draft helped turn around four struggling franchises: the Dallas Mavericks, the Sacramento Kings, the Boston Celtics, and the Tor ...

by the

Dallas Mavericks The Dallas Mavericks (often referred to as the Mavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Dallas. The Mavericks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Divisi ...

after playing college basketball at Clemson, he played for the Mavericks,

Philadelphia 76ers The Philadelphia 76ers, also known colloquially as the Sixers, are an American professional basketball team based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The 76ers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlan ...

Denver Nuggets The Denver Nuggets are an American professional basketball team based in Denver. The Nuggets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Division (NBA), Northwest Division of the Western Conference (NBA), W ...

Minnesota Timberwolves The Minnesota Timberwolves (often referred to as the Wolves or T-wolves) are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis. The Timberwolves compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Divisio ...

and Grizzlies. Buckner's first professional experience came with the Grand Rapids Hoops of the

Continental Basketball Association The Continental Basketball Association (CBA), originally known as the Eastern Pennsylvania Basketball League, and later as the Eastern Professional Basketball League and the Eastern Basketball Association, was a men's professional basketball m ...

(CBA), where he averaged 8.6 points and 3.9 rebounds per game in the 1998–99 season.

Playing career

College career

During his time with the

Clemson Tigers The Clemson Tigers are the sport, athletic teams that represent Clemson University, located in Clemson, South Carolina. They compete as a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) NCAA Division I, Division I level (NCAA Divis ...

, he started all 122 games of his career while guiding the team to three NCAA tournaments. Buckner led the team in scoring all four years becoming the first Clemson Tiger to do so. In 1995, Buckner was named ACC Rookie of the Year. He was entered into the Clemson Athletic Hall of Fame in 2005.

Professional career

After playing with the

from 1999 to 2002, Buckner signed with the

as a free agent. Then he signed with the Denver Nuggets. In 2006, he re-signed with the Dallas Mavericks, but after one season, he was traded to the Timberwolves for Trenton Hassell on September 28, 2007. On June 27, 2008, the Timberwolves traded him to the

with O. J. Mayo, Marko Jarić, and Antoine Walker for Kevin Love, Mike Miller, Brian Cardinal, and Jason Collins. On July 9, 2009, Buckner was traded to the

as a part of the four-team deal among Grizzlies, Mavericks,

Orlando Magic The Orlando Magic are an American professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. The Magic compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division (NBA), Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference (NB ...

and

Toronto Raptors The Toronto Raptors are a Canadian professional basketball team based in Toronto. The Raptors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), E ...

Coaching career

On July 29, 2011, he joined the

Houston Rockets The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston. The Rockets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Division of the Western Conference (NBA) ...

as a player development coach, 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

, and in November 2020, became an assistant coach with the

. 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 The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago. The Bulls compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference. The team was founded on January 16 ...

. On June 13, 2022, the Cavaliers promoted Buckner to associate head coach position.

Career statistics

Regular season

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Dallas Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...

, 48 , , 1 , , 19.2 , , .476 , , .385 , , .683 , , 3.6 , , 1.1 , , .8 , , .4 , , 5.7 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 37 , , 9 , , 22.2 , , .438 , , .286 , , .728 , , 4.2 , , 1.3 , , .9 , , .2 , , 6.2 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 44 , , 16 , , 20.1 , , .525 , , .313 , , .690 , , 3.9 , , 1.1 , , .7 , , .4 , , 5.8 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

, 75 , , 5 , , 20.2 , , .465 , , .273 , , .802 , , 2.9 , , 1.3 , , 1.0 , , .2 , , 6.0 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 53 , , 3 , , 13.3 , , .377 , , .273 , , .741 , , 1.9 , , .8 , , .4 , , .1 , , 3.1 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

Denver Denver ( ) is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Consolidated city and county, consolidated city and county, the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Colorado, most populous city of the U.S. state of ...

, 70 , , 41 , , 21.7 , , .528 , , .405 , , .778 , , 3.0 , , 1.9 , , 1.1 , , .1 , , 6.2 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 73 , , 27 , , 24.1 , , .434 , , .354 , , .782 , , 2.9 , , 1.7 , , 1.2 , , .3 , , 6.7 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 76 , , 11 , , 18.1 , , .411 , , .311 , , .794 , , 2.1 , , .9 , , .6 , , .1 , , 4.0 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

Minnesota Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...

, 31 , , 4 , , 16.8 , , .385 , , .300 , , .864 , , 2.1 , , 1.3 , , .7 , , .1 , , 4.0 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;", 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

Playoffs

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2001 The year's most prominent event was the September 11 attacks against the United States by al-Qaeda, which Casualties of the September 11 attacks, killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror. The United States led a Participan ...

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, 5 , , 0 , , 15.0 , , .478 , , .333 , , .700 , , 4.2 , , .6 , , 1.0 , , .0 , , 6.0 , - , style="text-align:left;",

2002 The effects of the September 11 attacks of the previous year had a significant impact on the affairs of 2002. The war on terror was a major political focus. Without settled international law, several nations engaged in anti-terror operation ...

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, 7 , , 0 , , 15.0 , , .480 , , .000 , , .750 , , 3.7 , , .6 , , .4 , , .1 , , 3.9 , - , style="text-align:left;",

2003 2003 was designated by the United Nations as the International Year of Fresh water, Freshwater. In 2003, a Multi-National Force – Iraq, United States-led coalition 2003 invasion of Iraq, invaded Iraq, starting the Iraq War. Demographic ...

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, 10 , , 0 , , 11.2 , , .323 , , .222 , , 1.000 , , 1.7 , , .3 , , .1 , , .2 , , 2.6 , - , style="text-align:left;",

2005 2005 was designated as the International Year for Sport and Physical Education and the International Year of Microcredit. The beginning of 2005 also marked the end of the International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples, Internationa ...

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, 5 , , 2 , , 20.0 , , .222 , , .222 , , , , 3.2 , , 1.0 , , .4 , , .2 , , 2.0 , - , style="text-align:left;",

2006 2006 was designated as the International Year of Deserts and Desertification. Events January * January 1– 4 – Russia temporarily cuts shipment of natural gas to Ukraine during a price dispute. * January 12 – A stampede during t ...

, style="text-align:left;",

, 5 , , 4 , , 27.4 , , .418 , , .313 , , .875 , , 2.8 , , 1.2 , , .6 , , .2 , , 12.6 , - , style="text-align:left;",

2007 2007 was designated as the International Heliophysical Year and the International Polar Year. Events January * January 1 **Bulgaria and Romania 2007 enlargement of the European Union, join the European Union, while Slovenia joins the Eur ...

, style="text-align:left;",

, 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

References

External links

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