Former Wisconsin great Sam Dekker named assistant coach at SEC program

Former Wisconsin Badgers star Sam Dekker has been named an assistant coach for the South Carolina Gamecocks.

Dekker, who made his mark on the Badgers men's basketball program, has been playing oversees for the past few years.

The Houston Rockets' No. 18 overall draft pick responded to this announcement, "Full circle moment. Basketball truly can write stories in your life that you'd never thought possible."

In the Gamecocks official post, Dekker said, "I couldn’t be more excited to be a part of Gamecock basketball. I’m so grateful to Coach [Lamont] Paris for trusting me with this role, and I take it very seriously. The decision to transition from player to coach is not one I took lightly, but joining Coach Paris and this program was a dream opportunity."

"I am thrilled to return to the college game and compete at such a high level in the SEC," he added. "My 11 years as a pro have provided so many experiences with amazing players, coaches and styles. Some of my best memories as a player were competing in two Final Fours with Coach Paris, and I look forward to doing that with him again. My goal is to win in March and give our players the best opportunity for success on and off the court.”

Dekker, 32, will now work alongside Paris, the Gamecocks' coach since 2022, who sports a 62-68 record.

The former 2012 Wisconsin Mr. Basketball most recently played for Spain's Joventut Badalona. Dekker, a Sheboygan native, is a former Big Ten All-Freshman team honoree and was named to the Second-team on two occasions.

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