Charlotte Hornets general manager and president of basketball operations Mitch Kupchak announced Monday that the organization has hired former UNC forward Joe Wolf to be the new head coach of the Greensboro Swarm–the Hornets’ NBA G-League affiliate.

Wolf played for UNC from 1983-87, earning All-ACC honors as a senior before being selected No. 13 overall in the 1987 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Clippers.

He then went on to start a successful coaching career at William & Mary during the 2003-04 season, before later going on to be an assistant in the NBA for the Milwaukee Bucks (2008-13) and the Brooklyn Nets (2014-17).

Last season saw Wolf on the staff at UNC-Wilmington under head coach C.B. McGrath–who was in his first season on the job after previously serving as a longtime assistant in Chapel Hill under Roy Williams.

By coming to take over the Swarm, Wolf re-establishes another UNC connection. Both Kupchak and Hornets’ owner Michael Jordan were stars for the Tar Heels in their own playing days as well.

“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 becomes the second head coach in the Swarm’s history, taking over for Noel Gillespie–who went 35-65 during the team’s first two seasons in existence.

“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.”

 

 

Photo via UNC Athletics

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