Joe Wolf, a former North Carolina captain for Dean Smith who went on to play for seven teams in an 11-year NBA career before becoming a coach, died unexpectedly Thursday, the Milwaukee Bucks announced.
Wolf, an assistant coach for the Wisconsin Herd — the Bucks' G League affiliate — was 59. His death is suspected to be from a heart attack.
The Bucks released a statement mourning Wolf's passing, calling him “a highly respected, adored and dedicated coach and player across the NBA.”
A Stellar Career at North Carolina
Wolf was a high school All-American in 1983 before joining the Tar Heels to play alongside the likes of Michael Jordan and Sam Perkins. He was a co-captain for the Tar Heels as a senior in 1986-87, sharing that role with Kenny Smith. North Carolina went 115-22 in Wolf's four seasons, making the Sweet 16 twice and the Elite Eight twice in that span.
Wolf, a 6-foot-11 center and forward, quickly moved into coaching once his NBA career was done, using skills he said Smith began instilling in him from the start of his college experience. “I like to think I started getting trained the minute I stepped on campus,” Wolf told the Greensboro (N.C.) News and Record in 2018. “Coach Smith was all about building the proper habits. That benefits me today.”
A Journeyman in the NBA
He was an All-ACC pick in 1987 and left North Carolina with 1,231 points. The Los Angeles Clippers used the No. 13 pick in the 1987 draft on Wolf, who spent his first three NBA seasons there before playing for Denver, Charlotte, Orlando, Portland, Boston and Milwaukee — a return to his home state of Wisconsin, where he was a high school legend. Wolf played 11 seasons in the NBA, including a stint in Portland during the 1992-93 season.
A Wisconsin Basketball Legend
Wolf led Kohler High School to three Wisconsin state championships, and in 2005 the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel named him the state's greatest high school basketball player ever, the Bucks said. He was a McDonald's All-American and one of only eight Wisconsin players to earn that honor. He was fondly remembered as a high school star and was recruited by Dean Smith to play at the University of North Carolina.
A Dedicated Coach
He coached at the college level as an assistant at William & Mary and UNC Wilmington, was a head coach in what is now called the G League with Idaho, Colorado and Greensboro, had been an NBA assistant for Milwaukee and Brooklyn and was hired in 2023 as a G League assistant for the Herd. He was most recently an assistant coach with the Wisconsin Herd, the Milwaukee Bucks’ G-League affiliate. The Bucks released a statement mourning Wolf’s passing, highlighting his dedication to the game and his community.
“Off the court, Joe was a beloved brother, uncle, friend and community leader,” the Bucks said in a statement on Thursday. “We send our deepest condolences to Joe’s family and friends. The Bucks and Herd will always be grateful to Joe for his hard work and commitment to our organization. He will be missed.”
A Lasting Legacy
Joe Wolf’s impact on the game of basketball extends far beyond his on-court accomplishments. He was a role model, a mentor, and a friend to many. His dedication to the game and his community was evident throughout his career, both as a player and a coach. Though he may be gone, his legacy will live on through those he inspired and the countless lives he touched.
