Jason Buckner is in his second year as the Director of Operations on the IUPUI men’s basketball staff. In his role, he assists the coaching staff in administrative duties, advance scouting and film breakdown.
This past summer, he was in Las Vegas working with Joe Abunassar and IMPACT Basketball. More than 60 NBA players went through daily training sessions and competitive games with Buckner assisting in an administrative role. Among the notables were Chauncey Billups, John Wall, Rashard Lewis, Mo Williams, Kyle Lowry, Jermaine O’Neal, Corey Maggette, Zach Randolph, and Stephen Jackson. Many 2011 Draft picks also participated including Derrick Williams, Iman Shumpert and Kawhi Leonard.
Buckner brings a wide variety of experience to the program, having most recently served as an account executive for Hawkeye Sports Properties under Learfield Sports. In that role, he was in charge of corporate sponsorships that included Wendy’s, Sheraton, Pancheros and Chili’s. He managed over 40 accounts and was responsible for $600,000 of corporate funding. Prior to that, Buckner spent just over a year working at the Black Coaches Association (BCA). While there, he initiated the Close the Gap campaign with Boston Scientific, working in the fight against heart disease. He also facilitated a marketing campaign between the BCA and Army, geared towards high school aged students.
Buckner spent two years at the University of Louisville as the Assistant Director of the Cardinal Athletic Fund. It was his job to help build fan interest and facilitate gifts from donors in northern Kentucky and southern Indiana. While at UofL, he was also an assistant basketball coach at nearby Atherton High School for Head Coach Brad Bixler.
The Irving, Texas-native earned his degree from Indiana University in 2003 in Arts & Humanities. In 1998-99, he served as a team manager for Bob Knight and the Hoosiers’ basketball team. He later interned for IU Sports Properties and the Associate AD of Business Operations within the athletic department. He was also the lead intern for the Larry Walker Fellowship at USA Track and Field in 2001
Buckner has a strong basketball heritage, as his father, Quinn, was a 1976 Indiana graduate and a key member of the Hoosiers’ 1976 NCAA Championship squad, the last Division I college team to go undefeated.
Buckner is also on the 2012 Super Bowl Host Committee as the promotions committee co-chair.
