Sharif Chambliss is returning to Wisconsin, this time as an assistant on Greg Gard's bench.
Friday, the school announced that Chambliss, who played at Racine St. Catherine's and then for the Badgers in 2004, will join UW's staff for the 2021-22 season. He was most recently at Wright State University from 2016 to 2021.
"The opportunity to join Coach Gard and his staff is truly an honor," Chambliss said in a release. "Wisconsin is home to me and I could not be more excited to get back on the court I once played on, now as an assistant coach. I look forward to working with the players and staff, continuing to execute the Badger basketball vision. The men’s basketball program can count on me to bring a genuine, high level of energy to an already outstanding base of basketball values. Many thanks to Greg Gard, Barry Alvarez, the staff and entire athletic department for trusting in me to represent the university as an assistant coach.
“I'm extremely grateful for the support of my family and the many coaches, staffs and mentors I have had the privilege to work with including Bo Ryan, Scott Nagy, Rob Jeter, Jeff Gard, Gary Edwards and many others. I'm also indebted to Bob Grant and the Wright State athletic department, university leadership, men’s basketball staff and players for five incredibly successful years."
Chambliss, who also served as UW's video coordinator from 2010 to 2012, replaces Alando Tucker, the school’s all-time leading scorer. Wisconsin went 31-23 in the last two years with Tucker on the bench. The Badgers won a share of their 19th Big Ten regular season championship in 2020 after winning their final eight conference games.
“We are extremely excited to welcome Coach Chambliss and his family to our staff,” Gard said in the same release. “This search and interview process was extensive and spanned a wide scope of excellent candidates. Sharif’s energy, passion, loyalty and experience were evident from the start of our search. Knowing that Coach Howard Moore would not be able to return to his position and having to replace him is difficult for all of us who love him and know everything he has done for our program.
“Sharif brings 15 years of college basketball coaching experience to our program and has a proven track record of success as a coach and as an effective, established recruiter. As we evaluated the landscape of potential coaches, Coach Chambliss was highly regarded and recommended by both his past colleagues that he’s worked with and his peers across college basketball."
Chambliss joins a program that will look very different from a year ago. Six players from the 2020-21 roster are gone, including four of the top five scorers and five from the Badgers' eight-man rotation.
“Sharif brings to our staff what I wanted," Gard said. "Someone with experience at a variety of other institutions, a proven track record as a coach and recruiter, and a committed, red-hot burning desire to be at the University of Wisconsin and help our program going forward.
“I know how excited and energized Sharif is to get to Madison and start working with our players and staff. We are all looking forward to welcoming Sharif, his wife Melissa, and sons Julian and Kellen to the Badger family very soon.”
Chambliss was a two-time honorable mention All-Big Ten guard, scoring 1,107 points in his collegiate career at both Wisconsin and Penn State (2000-04). His coaching career also included stops at Milwaukee from (2012-16), UW-Platteville (2009-10) and Francis Marion University (2008-09).
“I’m very blessed for this opportunity and I can't wait to get started in Madison," Chambliss said. "On, Wisconsin!"
