John Hammond has been named General Manager of the Milwaukee Bucks, the team announced tonight. Hammond brings over 29 years of basketball coaching and administrative experience to the Bucks and spent the past seven seasons in the Detroit Pistons organization as the Vice President of Basketball Operations.
“We are pleased to have John Hammond assume leadership of our basketball operations, effective immediately,” Bucks President Herb Kohl said. “He is a proven NBA talent who has played an essential role in a winning NBA organization. We look forward to John’s contributions to our franchise.”
During Hammond’s seven seasons in Detroit, the Pistons won 50-plus games for all seven seasons, won six Central Division titles, made five consecutive Eastern Conference Finals appearances (2002-03 through 2006-07), and amassed an overall record of 330-158 (.676), including a league-best 64 wins during the 2006-07 season. The Pistons also made two NBA Finals appearances (2004, 2006) and won an NBA Championship (2004) during his six seasons as vice president.
“I want to thank Senator Kohl for the opportunity to be the general manager of the Bucks,” said Hammond. “I had the pleasure of working under one of the best executives in the game today in Joe Dumars and I thank him for the opportunity he gave me to be a part of Detroit’s winning tradition. The Bucks are a history-rich franchise with amazing fans and I look forward to the challenge of bringing a championship back to Milwaukee.”
Hammond’s recent stint with the Pistons was his second. His association with the franchise began in 1994 when he was hired as a scouting director. Doug Collins appointed him as an assistant coach in 1997, a position that he remained in until 1999. When Alvin Gentry replaced Collins as Detroit’s head coach, Hammond was appointed as his top assistant. Detroit made three playoff appearances during Hammond’s tenure as an assistant coach (1996, 1997 and 1999), winning 54 games during the 1996-97 season.
The 53-year-old Hammond worked as a lead assistant coach under Gentry for the Los Angeles Clippers during the 2000-01 season, his second tour of duty with that club. He also worked for the Clippers from 1990-93 as an assistant coach to Larry Brown. The team made two consecutive playoff appearances (1992, 1993) during that time. Hammond began NBA career in 1989 as an assistant coach and scout with the expansion Minnesota Timberwolves, helping assemble their roster during the team’s inaugural season.
Prior to entering the NBA ranks, Hammond spent six seasons as an assistant coach at Southwest Missouri State where he helped lead the school to three consecutive NCAA Tournament berths (1986, 1987 and 1988) and an NIT invitation in 1985. He also spent two seasons at Houston Baptist (1981-83), two seasons at Nebraska (1979-81) and three seasons at the high school level in the state of Nebraska.
Hammond is no stranger to the west side of Lake Michigan. He grew up in Zion, Illinois and attended Greenville College in Illinois where he earned his Bachelor’s degree while lettering twice in basketball and serving as a student assistant coach.
