Wisconsin basketball announces Kirk Penney departure, Brad Davison joins staff
Kirk Penney is stepping away from his role with the Wisconsin men’s basketball team, and Brad Davison is returning to the program as special assistant to Greg Gard.
Every once in a while, a college basketball coaching staff shakeup takes place that feels bigger than the bullet points outlined in the press release. That’s the case for the Wisconsin men’s basketball team.
Head coach Greg Gard announced that Kirk Penney, the program legend who spent the last two seasons as Special Assistant to the Head Coach, has resigned from his position and is returning to New Zealand to spend some much-needed time with his family.
In his place steps another Wisconsin alum: Brad Davison.
On paper, it’s one assistant sliding out in favor of another. In reality, it’s a move that cuts to the core of Wisconsin’s identity, its offensive evolution, and the continued effort to balance tradition with the modern game.
Kirk Penney’s legacy on the bench
When Gard brought Kirk Penney back into the program in 2023, it was a homecoming that carried more than nostalgia.
Penney’s résumé already spoke for itself, being a University of Wisconsin Hall of Famer, one of the top sharpshooters in program history, and a player whose professional career spanned nearly two decades. But what he injected into the program as a coach was arguably just as impactful.
In his two seasons on the bench, Wisconsin went 49–23 (.681), made back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances, and played an offensive brand of basketball never before seen in the Gard era. Penney helped the Badgers average 80.9 points per game in 2024–25, the program’s best scoring output since 1971–72. They led the Big Ten in three-point makes (9.9 per game) and paced the nation in free-throw shooting (82.6%).
Wisconsin’s offense underwent a total transformation these past two years, and it’s no coincidence that Penney was sitting on the bench for both. Before his arrival, the Badgers ranked 140th nationally in KenPom’s adjusted offensive efficiency. In his first season helping implement a European, ball-screen-heavy philosophy, Wisconsin jumped all the way to 17th. Last year they climbed even higher, finishing 13th nationally, winning 27 games, and securing a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
The Badgers cracked the top 20 in offensive efficiency in back-to-back years while playing at the fastest tempo of Greg Gard’s tenure, a drastic stylistic shift for a program long defined by grind-it-out basketball. The team’s adjusted tempo of 68.0 last season ranked 149th nationally. That might not sound all that fast until you realize it was the quickest tempo KenPom has ever tracked for Wisconsin since 2001–02. For context, eight of Gard’s first nine teams finished in the 300s nationally in terms of pace.
“You’re really trying to spread the floor and create as much spacing as possible, giving guys the opportunity to drive if they want to, a lot of room for the bigs to roll without too much help, and having players that can shoot the ball,” Penney told Badgernotes. “If you’re open, you’ve got to knock it down, especially from the 3-point line. I think all of the pieces we added are capable of that. It’s just adding different layers and ensuring we can disguise it for the competition.”
In short, Penney helped flip the script, and it didn’t happen by accident. What once looked like a program stuck in its ways suddenly became one playing with pace, spacing, and freedom, and the numbers back it up.
Gard, for his part, made sure Penney’s contributions didn’t go unnoticed.
“Our entire team and staff are grateful for the two seasons Kirk was able to spend with us, and I thank him for his impact on Wisconsin Basketball,” Gard said in a press release. “He is a legend of this program, and it was fun to see him extend the impact he had as a player to a coaching role. As a father and husband myself, I fully understand the importance of being present with your spouse and young kids, which, quite frankly, is a non-negotiable in the game of life. I fully support Kirk’s decision to step away from coaching to be in New Zealand on a more full-time basis to grow his business entrepreneurial goals and most certainly be there with his family.
“We all understand the sacrifices he has made by living and working here while his family is half a world away, and I’m excited for him to be back home. Kirk will always have a place in our program, and I’m looking forward to finding ways to keep him included in what we are building.”
That’s not the kind of exit you typically see in this sport. In an era where coaches come and go and rosters flip yearly, this one feels different. There’s real mutual love and respect here, and the impact Penney made in such a short time helped push Wisconsin’s basketball program onto a new and exciting trajectory that feels sustainable. In a unique chapter of college basketball history where the system often has to matter as much or more than the faces in it, that’s no small legacy to leave behind.
Penney echoed the sentiment in his farewell.
“It has been an absolute thrill to be back with Wisconsin Basketball, and I’m grateful for the opportunity from Coach Gard and the entire staff,” Penney said. “I’m looking forward to staying connected to the program, but it’s time for me to be with my family in New Zealand. It feels like the right time to step away from the Badgers to be home. I’m also excited to continue pursuing current and new private business opportunities.
“We have built a powerful roster and an incredible staff at Wisconsin, and big things are ahead. I can’t wait to watch them compete this season and help in any way possible.”
For a program that needed to modernize offensively, Penney was the right man at the right time. His departure creates a void. But Gard didn’t waste time filling it with someone who understands Wisconsin just as intimately.
Enter Brad Davison
If Kirk Penney was the architect of Wisconsin’s offensive revival, Brad Davison is the embodiment of Wisconsin’s culture. His arrival as a Special Assistant to the Head Coach marks the start of his coaching career, and it’s hard to imagine a more natural fit joining the Badgers staff.
Davison played 161 games for the Badgers, the second-most in school history, and ranks sixth in program history in career wins (101). He scored 1,827 career points, drilled a program-record number of 3-point attempts, and earned second-team All-Big Ten honors. He was also the 2022 Big Ten Medal of Honor winner, a four-time Academic All-Big Ten selection, and one of the most respected leaders the program has ever had.
And for anyone who watched him play, the intangible résumé is even longer. He was, as Gard put it, the heart and soul of Wisconsin basketball during his five years in Madison.
“Adding Brad Davison to our staff is an absolute win,” Gard said. “He was the heart and soul of our program while he played here, and he has stayed connected even while playing professionally over the past four years in Europe. He has a terrific basketball mind, one of the best leaders I’ve ever coached, and we know we are adding someone who will dedicate every ounce to this team. He’s a winner and will not only add valuable perspective, but he will also have the ability to connect with the guys in our locker room from day one. We can’t wait to have Brad back on the court and in our program with us.”
Davison himself couldn’t hide his excitement.
“I am incredibly grateful to return to the University of Wisconsin with my family,” Davison said. “This is a special place that means the world to me. I can’t wait to serve this program and to continue to raise the high standard of Wisconsin Basketball.”
He joins the Badgers staff after professional stints in Lithuania and Spain, where Davison carved out a professional career before deciding the time was right to make a move into coaching. And while he doesn’t have the tactical pedigree of Penney, at least not yet, his value lies in connection. Players in the locker room grew up watching him. Many recruits know his name and understand the impact he had on Wisconsin men’s basketball.
It also speaks to the larger picture with Gard. He’s quietly put together a staff filled with people he trusts, each with unique qualifications but almost all with deep ties to Wisconsin. In today’s game, where the demands on a head coach are endless, that ability to delegate to people you believe in isn’t just a luxury; it’s a necessity. Adding someone like Davison, a guy who would do anything for the program, who wants to grow in coaching, and who brings the kind of hunger you can’t fake, feels like a smart way to maintain continuity after losing someone like Penney.
Davison gives Gard a bridge: a coach-in-training who not only understands what it means to wear the Wisconsin Badgers jersey but also speaks directly to what it takes to lead players within this program.
What it all means
It’s easy to frame this as one legend stepping out and another stepping in. However, the subtext here is quite significant.
Penney’s departure removes a X’s and O’s mind whose influence on Wisconsin’s offense helped spark the most efficient and modern stretch of basketball in Gard’s tenure. That will be felt. It’s not easy to lose the coach who helped you climb into the top 20 nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency while playing at the fastest pace in program history.
However, with two full years of implementation, the layering of concepts, and the heavy incorporation of analytics into shot selection and game-day routines, the hope is that Wisconsin’s staff can continue to build on those foundations. The identity is in place. Now it’s about continuing to grow and move forward with the system that Penney helped shape.
Davison’s arrival, meanwhile, injects something different. Not a schematic overhaul, but a cultural shot in the arm. This program is coming off a 27-win season and a 3-seed in the NCAA Tournament. They rebuilt the roster in the transfer portal this offseason with additions that fit this system. It’s built to compete right now, and Gard clearly believes that surrounding his players with a leader like Davison can help keep the momentum rolling.
When you zoom out, this is about balance.
Penney’s influence helped Wisconsin evolve on the floor. Davison’s presence is designed to keep them grounded off it. Together, the two moves reflect both the challenge and the opportunity facing Gard’s basketball program: how to keep building on recent offensive progress while staying true to what has always made the Badgers special.
The bottom line is shakeups happen every offseason, but this one feels like a notable one for Wisconsin basketball. Penney departs, having left a clear mark on the program’s style and offensive confidence. Davison arrives with the chance to leave his mark on its culture and leadership.
For Gard, it’s another reminder of the delicate balance he’s managing, honoring the past, adapting to the present, and preparing for the future.
And for Wisconsin fans, it’s a reminder that the names on the bench may change, but the expectations don’t. The program is coming off back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances, backed by a high-powered offense, and now adds one of the most beloved players in school history to the bench.
Penney leaves big shoes to fill as an assistant, but Davison has never shied away from big shoes. The torch has officially been passed.
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Best crafted sports article I’ve read in years ! Very WORTHY !!!
Difficult to face the circumstance, but much easier to reconcile when the decision is HIS, especially for his stated reasons. Family is inarguably the most important factor for change, bar none. Kirk's diligence and loyalty to the Badgers has reshaped and restructured the program with clear, obvious, successful effect, for which Badgers fans should have immense gratitude. He certainly has mine. Enter Brad Davison. I do believe his input will be as uniquely positive as his historical athletic performance and contributions to past Badgers teams. I highly value your perspective on all things Badgers. Thank you - again - for an outstanding article!!
Jane Laitinen