Wells signs on for NBL25 season

Adelaide 36ers are excited to announce the signing of Mike Wells as lead assistant coach for the NBL25 season.

Wells has three decades of coaching experience in the US, including 26 years in the NBA and Team USA.

Wells said the decision to move to Adelaide to be lead assistant to head coach Scott Ninnis was over 20 years in the making.

“The league (NBL) is always something I’ve been intrigued with since I came over as part of Team USA in 2000 for the Sydney Olympics,” Wells said.

“I’ve always had that in the back of my head, and I told everyone ‘I’m going to go coach in Australia’, and here we are.”

Adelaide 36ers GM of Basketball Operations Matt Weston said adding Wells to the coaching team led by Ninnis is a massive coup for the club for NBL25 and beyond.

“Mike comes to Adelaide with extensive coaching experience in the NBA and with Team USA, this is a great addition for us,” Weston said.

“We searched the globe to get the best possible assistant coach for Scott and Mike ticked all the boxes.”

Wells was assistant coach at NBA franchise Charlotte Hornets last season, and has also had stints with Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards, Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs.

“The biggest thing for me is to be the best assistant coach that I can and help Scott and with my organisation and detail, hopefully this will allow Scott and our team to be successful,” Wells said.

“I’ve already started watching some film and seeing what Scott is trying to emphasize and some of the players tendencies.”

Ninnis said Wells will bring extensive knowledge to his coaching staff and is excited for the possibilities for the NBL25 season.

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“To have someone of Mike’s experience and success, to be getting advice from him from a day-to-day basis is only going to be good for the club,” Ninnis said.

After starting his coaching journey as an intern with the Rockets in 1994, Wells was a member of the coaching staff when Houston won their second consecutive NBA title in 1995.

With 26 years’ experience in the NBA, Wells has also had coaching stints at George Mason and the University of South Florida.

Wells will link up with Ninnis and Weston at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas next month.

 MIKE WELLS - NBA COACHING EXPERIENCE

2023-2024 – Charlotte Hornets (Assistant Coach – Steve Clifford)

2014-2022 – Utah Jazz (Assistant Coach – Quin Snyder)

2009-2011 – Washington Wizards (Assistant Coach – Flip Sanders)

2005-2009 – San Antonio Spurs (Assistant Coach – Gregg Popovich)

2004-2005 – Los Angeles Lakers (Assistant Coach – Rudy Tomjanovich)

1995-2004 – Houston Rockets (Assistant Coach – Rudy Tomjanovich & Jeff Van Gundy)