Former Wisconsin player and assistant coach Howard Moore received a standing ovation in his first public appearance at the Kohl Center since a 2019 car wreck that killed his wife and daughter and left him with serious injuries.
Wisconsin honored Moore’s family during a ceremony before the Badgers’ game Saturday afternoon against No. 13 Illinois. Moore made a surprise appearance as he was wheeled onto midcourt by former teammate Rashard Griffith after a video tribute aired on the scoreboard.
A moment we’ve been waiting on for nearly five years…
Welcome home, Howard Moore pic.twitter.com/JEV6j5ieDX
— Wisconsin Basketball (@BadgerMBB) March 2, 2024
Moore later was joined by former teammates Michael Finley, Chris Conger, Shawn Carlin and Tracy Webster. Moore was surrounded by Wisconsin’s current team for a photo in front of one of the baskets.
Wisconsin also announced Saturday that it was renaming its men’s basketball offices in honor of Moore and his family.
“Howard Moore represents everything we are and aspire to be as Badgers,” the team posted on X. “His impact is deep, and his legacy will be attached to this program forever.
“We are honored to have him permanently represented with the official renaming of the ‘Howard Moore Family Men’s Basketball Offices.'”
Moore was working as an assistant on Wisconsin coach Greg Gard’s staff when his family was involved in a May 2019 car wreck in Washtenaw County, Michigan, that killed his wife, Jennifer, and 9-year-old daughter, Jaidyn.
Authorities said a 23-year-old woman was driving west in the eastbound lanes of the Detroit-area freeway when she struck the car carrying the Moore family head-on. The woman was also killed.
Moore suffered severe burns from the wreck and later had a heart attack during his recovery. Moore was moved to a long-term care and rehabilitation facility.
He played for Wisconsin from 1993 to 1995 and was an assistant coach with the Badgers from 2006 to 2010 and 2016 to 2019. Moore also was Illinois-Chicago’s head coach from 2010 to 2015.
Wisconsin warmed up Saturday with shirts that said “Do Moore. Be Moore 4 Moore” and included the No. 34 that Moore wore during his playing days.
