R.C. Buford

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Lore & Background

Buford's journey began not in an office, but on the court and sidelines. A native of Wichita, Kansas, where his father Bob was a successful oilman and rancher, Buford played college basketball as a walk-on for the Texas A&M Aggies before transferring to Oklahoma State in 1980. His playing career ended abruptly after he sat out the 1980–81 season due to an eight-broken-rib car crash. He graduated from Friends University with a Bachelor of Science in management and immediately pivoted to coaching, starting as an assistant with the Kansas Jayhawks in 1983. There, he was part of the staff that won the 1988 NCAA championship. In the summer of 1988, Buford joined Larry Brown's Spurs staff as an assistant coach, spending four seasons there while the team captured back-to-back Midwest Division titles in 1989–90 and 1990–91. His coaching path also included a year with the Los Angeles Clippers (summer 1992) and a stint at the University of Florida for the 1993–94 season.

In Their Own Story

The summer of 1994 marked a definitive turning point when Spurs general manager Gregg Popovich hired Buford as the team's head scout. This role launched a nearly three-decade run with the organization that defined modern NBA front-office success. By the summer of 1997, Buford was named director of scouting, and two years later, in 1999, he ascended to assistant general manager before officially becoming general manager in 2002. His strategic vision yielded immediate and sustained results: four championships as GM (2003, 2005, 2007, 2014) and a total of five rings with the franchise. His excellence was formally recognized when he won the NBA Executive of the Year award twice, first for the 2013–14 season on May 7, 2014, and again for the 2015–16 season. On July 23, 2019, the Spurs announced his promotion to CEO effective September 3, with Brian Wright taking over as assistant general manager.

Reader's Guide

Fans looking to understand Buford's career should note his deep ties to college basketball and his long-standing friendship with Bill Self. The two met in 1981 when Buford hosted Self during a recruiting visit at Oklahoma State University; Buford has since called Self his best friend. Beyond the office, Buford is a family man with children who followed athletic paths: his son Chase played for the Kansas Jayhawks and currently serves as an assistant coach for the Denver Nuggets after being head coach of the Sydney Kings. His daughter C.C., who played golf at the College of Charleston, now coaches at East Carolina University. Buford also holds the distinction of being president of sports franchises for Spurs Sports & Entertainment, overseeing a portfolio that extends beyond just basketball.

Did You Know?

• Buford suffered eight broken ribs in a car crash that ended his playing career after he sat out the 1980–81 season.
• He won the NCAA championship as an assistant coach with the Kansas Jayhawks in 1988 before joining the Spurs.
• Buford has been with the Spurs organization since the summer of 1988, serving as a coach, scout, and executive.
• He was promoted to CEO on September 3, 2019, after spending five seasons as team president prior to becoming general manager in 2002.