Milwaukee Bucks Sign T.J. Ford as Taylor Jenkins Finalizes Coaching Staff
The Milwaukee Bucks are bringing one of their former first-round picks back to the franchise as part of head coach Taylor Jenkins' first staff. The team announced on August 7 that former Bucks point guard T.J. Ford is among six new assistant coaches joining Jenkins for the 2026-27 season. Darvin Ham will return as an assistant, while Pat St. Andrews, Vince Legarza, Brad Jones, Johnny Carpenter, Ford, and Schuyler Rimmer are joining the staff.
What happened?
The Bucks originally selected Ford with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft. He appeared in 127 games for Milwaukee, averaging 10.0 points, 6.5 assists, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game. Ford's relationship with Jenkins also predates their reunion in Milwaukee. After retiring, Ford worked as a volunteer assistant alongside Jenkins with the Austin Toros during the 2012-13 season.
Why it matters for Milwaukee Bucks
The larger theme of Milwaukee's staff is familiarity. Brad Jones spent five seasons as an assistant under Jenkins with the Memphis Grizzlies from 2019 through 2024, including two years as Jenkins' lead assistant. Jones brings more than 30 years of coaching experience and also won the 2012 NBA G League championship as head coach of the Austin Toros. Pat St. Andrews has connections to both Jenkins and Milwaukee. He previously spent five seasons with the Bucks from 2018 through 2023 and was part of their 2021 championship staff before later working under Jenkins in Memphis.
What comes next?
Jenkins isn't completely starting over. Ham is returning for his third straight season as a Bucks assistant and his seventh overall with the franchise. He was Milwaukee's lead assistant from 2018 through 2022 and was on the staff when the Bucks won the 2021 NBA championship. Rimmer also has championship-season ties to Milwaukee. He worked for the Bucks from 2018 through 2022 in video and player-development roles before becoming an NBA assistant with the Lakers and Phoenix Suns.
The Bucks have recently struggled, losing their last two games, including a 126-106 defeat to the Philadelphia 76ers on April 12. However, with the addition of Ford and the return of Ham, the team is looking to turn things around. Recent form has been 2 wins and 3 losses in the last 5 games, with the Bucks looking to get back on track.
In addition to Ford and Ham, the Bucks have also hired several other new assistants, including Johnny Carpenter, who spent the 2024-25 season as a player development coach and assistant with the Grizzlies. The team is looking to build a strong coaching staff to support Jenkins and help the Bucks achieve success in the 2026-27 season.
The Bucks' coaching staff is now filled with familiar faces, both from Jenkins' previous coaching stops and from Milwaukee's recent past. With the addition of Ford and the return of Ham, the team is looking to build on their past successes and make a strong push for the playoffs in the 2026-27 season. The Bucks will look to get back on track after a recent slump, with a 2-3 record in their last 5 games, including a 126-106 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on April 12.
