The Wisconsin Herd, the Milwaukee Bucks’ G League affiliate, sit atop the league standings with a 28-9 record. They’re led by a 31-year-old, first-time head coach in Chase Buford and feature former Naismith Award winner Frank Mason III.
But Sunday wasn’t a great day for the Herd.
They blew a 21-point lead in a loss to the Grand Rapids Drive, and Buford — the son of Spurs CEO R. C. Buford and a former Kansas walk-on — wasn’t exactly in the calmest state of mind when it came time to speak to the media.
In the postgame interview, Buford fired off on the officiating, calling out the referee by name — and then calling him a “(expletive) clown.” It was quite the scene.
Early candidate for coaching rant of the year! Wisconsin Herd Head Coach Chase Buford after his team saw a 21-point lead disappear in the 4th quarter vs. Grand Rapids. And because he asked: @nbagleague pic.twitter.com/cw5t1lMSKI
— Ryan Rodig (@ryanrodigwfrv) February 24, 2020
Buford said:
“The officiating definitely went right for Grand Rapids. That was as unprofessional as an officiating performance — I hope you tweet this out and tag the league because that was embarrassing. Matt Rafferty is a (expletive) clown. That being said, we have to be so much better at the end of games. We can’t blow a 21-point lead with 12 minutes to go however bad and biased and unfair and illegal and cheating the referees are, we have to be better closing games. And so, that’s the way I feel.”
Come Sunday night, though, Buford issued a written apology to referee Matt Rafferty.
— Wisconsin Herd (@WisconsinHerd) February 24, 2020
Still, the rant will live on forever.
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