Editorial

Alando Tucker Joins Wisconsin Basketball Coaching Staff

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David Hookstead Sports And Entertainment Editor
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College basketball legend Alando Tucker is returning home.

Tucker will become an interim assistant basketball coach this upcoming season for the Wisconsin Badgers. The former star forward and NBA player was the face of the Badgers for years, and was arguably the best player in America during his time in college.

The announcement was made after it was revealed Howard Moore would take the year off from Greg Gard’s staff after a horrific car crash killed his wife and daughter. He has also suffered with medical issues since that he’s currently dealing with in a longterm care facility. (RELATED: Wisconsin Basketball Coach Howard Moore Will Miss The Season After Car Accident)

 

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He’s back on the Badgers bench @alandotucker returns as an interim assistant coach for the 2019-20 season . Tucker will serve in this role for the 2019-20 season, filling the position of assistant coach Howard Moore, who is on medical leave . “I never wanted to join the Wisconsin coaching staff under circumstances like this, and my thoughts and prayers are with Howard and his family and will continue to be all season,” Tucker said. “Howard and his family are very close friends of our family and his absence on the UW bench will be immense. He is the ultimate Badger and a tremendous coach. I owe it to him and my alma mater to do my best to coach up to his standard. I’m looking forward to working with our team and continue the strong legacy that guys like Howard have helped build.” . “First off, the hearts of the entire Wisconsin basketball family are with Howard and his family right now,” Gard said. “We think about him daily and will continue to do so during the entire season. He has helped shape this program for more than 25 years and he will be missed in our huddle this year. . “We’re thankful to have someone like Alando able to step into this role. His familiarity with the program and our players, combined with his incredible basketball experience and energy will be a great fit. No one person can fill Howard’s spot on our bench, but knowing how close he and Alando are as friends, I’m sure Alando will work as hard as possible to meet that level.” . #OnWisconsin #Badgers

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Obviously, he’s not joining the staff under the greatest of situations due to the situation with Moore. You never want to get a job because somebody is taking time off due to a family tragedy.

There’s no question that a dark cloud is lingering over the program right now, and will likely linger for awhile.

 

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Having said that, it’s still always great to see an athlete come home to his roots. Tucker was a dominant force for the Badgers.

The man was a freak of nature athlete. He wasn’t the tallest or the biggest guy on the floor when he played, but he was always the most athletic.

That allowed him to make plays most guys could only ever dream of.

It also never hurts to add a guy to the staff who has NBA experience. That can be huge for recruiting reasons.

It should be fun to follow what kind of impact Tucker has on the program. If it’s even a fraction of what he had as a player, then Wisconsin is in for some big things.