Dean Oliver announced Wednesday night that he is moving on after seven seasons as an assistant coach for the Wisconsin basketball program.
“Today I informed coach Gard that I am moving on from the University of Wisconsin,” Oliver wrote. “It was an honor and a privilege to have coached here, and while I am excited to take the next step in my career, I know that my experience as a Badger will stay with me forever.
“Most of all, thank you to the incredible student-athletes, coaches, and staff that helped make my time here such a great experience.
“On Wisconsin.”
Oliver played an important role in the Badgers’ success, contributing to two Big Ten Conference regular-season titles in 2019-20 and 2021-22. He joined the Wisconsin basketball team as an assistant coach in 2017, making him the second-longest tenured assistant on Greg Gard‘s staff.
Before his time at Wisconsin, Oliver had assistant coaching stints at North Dakota from 2011-2013 and Illinois State from 2014-2016.
Oliver’s departure leaves Joe Krabbenhoft and Sharif Chambliss as the remaining assistants on Coach Gard’s staff. Former Wisconsin basketball guard Kirk Penney served as a Special Assistant to the Head Coach in the 2023-24 season and could be a potential replacement for Oliver.
As a former star at Iowa, Oliver brought valuable playing experience to his coaching role. Badgers backcourt players often praised him as a pivotal reason for their development. He also played in the NBA for two seasons with the Golden State Warriors and was named to the All-Big Ten third team three times during his four seasons.
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