How Kirk Penney helped modernize the Wisconsin men's basketball offense

In an exclusive interview with Badgernotes, Kirk Penney spoke about everything from returning to Wisconsin as in assistant role to his offensive philosophies.

When Kirk Penney reconnected with head coach Greg Gard during a trip to Madison last offseason, a return to the Wisconsin Badgers basketball program he helped elevate over two decades ago wasn’t part of the plan.

Nevertheless, as Penney caught up with coach Gard, what started out as a simple conversation quickly evolved into deeper discussions about the program’s direction and how the two-time First-Team All-Big Ten guard's basketball acumen could potentially benefit the current Wisconsin team.

Before long, a unique opportunity began to take shape—a chance for Penney to return to the Badgers in a much different capacity—one that ultimately proved to be too compelling to pass up. He found himself back on the sidelines, not as a player but as a Special Assistant to the Head Coach—the Dwight Schrute to Greg Gard's Michael Scott, if you will.

"For me, coming back to the program after 20 years, it's just been delightful," Penney told Badgernotes. "It's just been fun. My memories here are nothing but amazing. I just came in and caught up with Coach Gard and the staff, and that just evolved into a little bit more."

Fast forward to the 2024-25 season, and Penney’s impact has only grown.