Former Wisconsin men’s basketball assistant Dean Oliver announced his appointment as head coach of AAU program Iowa United Prep on Monday via social media.
Oliver spent seven seasons as one of Greg Gard’s assistants at UW and helped guide the program to a pair of Big Ten regular-season championships in 2019-20 and 2021-22.
The former Badger returns to where he began his basketball journey. He now mans the sidelines for Iowa United, the state’s premier amateur athletic union organization.
“After dedicating 13 years as a Division I assistant coach and 10 years as a professional basketball player, I am honored to accept this position,” Oliver said in his X statement. This new chapter excites me as it allows me to continue contributing to the sport that has profoundly impacted my life and my family’s.”
Iowa United Prep is excited to announce the hiring of Head Coach Dean Oliver! (@DeanOliver20) pic.twitter.com/BbJAldkXHN
— Iowa United Prep (@iowaunitedprep) August 19, 2024
Before joining the Badgers in 2017, Oliver coached at North Dakota from 2012-14 and Illinois State from 2015-17. A successful nine-year professional career, including two seasons with the NBA’s Golden State Warriors and several seasons in Europe, preceded his time as a coach.
Oliver’s specialty is rooted in developing the next generation’s guards. As a player, he suited up at guard from Iowa from 1998-2001 and pocketed third-team All-Big Ten honors on three occasions.
Given his experience in the development realm, Oliver is poised to excel in his next chapter with Iowa United.