Joe Wolf Named Head Coach Of The Greensboro Swarm
By Greensboro Swarm Staff /September 10, 2018
Charlotte Hornets President of Basketball Operations & General Manager Mitch Kupchak announced today that the Greensboro Swarm has named Joe Wolf head coach. Wolf becomes the second head coach in franchise history.
“We are excited to have Coach Wolf join our organization,” Kupchak said. “Joe has a wealth of experience at the collegiate and professional level and knows what it takes to develop young players. Coach Wolf will be an integral part of the program we are building. He is familiar with the region’s passion for basketball and we are excited for him to lead the Swarm in Greensboro.”
Wolf, 53, joins the Swarm after being an assistant coach at UNC Wilmington under C.B. McGrath. Prior to UNCW, Wolf was an assistant with the Brooklyn Nets (2014-17) and Milwaukee Bucks (2008-13). In total, Wolf brings over 14-years coaching experience to the job.
“I am thrilled to be the head coach of the Greensboro Swarm and join the Hornets organization,” Wolf said. “I want to thank Michael Jordan, the Jordan family, Mitch Kupchak, Buzz Peterson and James Borrego for giving me this opportunity in the G League. I am looking forward to developing young players, implementing Coach Borrego’s system and playing an exciting brand of basketball. I cannot wait to get to work.”
A native of Kohler, Wisconsin, began his coaching career after playing professionally for 11 seasons in 2003-04 at William & Mary. Wolf was the head coach for the Idaho Stampede of the Continental Basketball Association from 2004-06 before becoming the head coach/general manager of the Colorado 14ers in the NBA Development League (2006-08). During his tenure with Idaho and Colorado, 17 players were called up to the NBA. At the international level, Wolf served as an assistant coach the Ukrainian National Team, helping the court qualify for the 2014 FIBA World Cup.
Wolf played for seven franchises since being drafted as the No. 13 overall selection in the 1987 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Clippers. Including two stints with the Hornets, he played for the Clippers, Denver Nuggets, Boston Celtics, Portland Trail Blazers, Orlando Magic and Milwaukee Bucks. He also played one season in Spain’s top league, the ACB, with Leon.
An Atlantic Coast Conference standout at UNC Chapel Hill, Wolf was an All-ACC selection in in 1987. Playing under Hall of Fame head coach Dean Smith, Wolf led UNC to four NCAA tournament appearances including two Elite 8’s. As a prep star at Kohler High School, Wolf was named Wisconsin’s greatest high school basketball player by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in 2005.
[caption id="attachment_2667" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] Swarm Head Coach Joe Wolf (left) with Hornets Head Coach James Borrego (middle) and Hornets President of Basketball Operations Mitch Kupchak (right).[/caption]