Wizards add assistant coach from Terps women's hoops team

[Wizardspride]

http://www.csnwashington.com/basketball ... hoops-team

The Wizards have hired David Adkins, an assistant on Brenda Freese's coaching staff with the University of Maryland women's basketball team, as a player development assistant, CSNwashington has learned.

Adkins, 50, spent the five past seasons at Maryland. The Terps reached the Final Four in 2014.

A spot opened up with Washington when assistant coach Ryan Saunders left to join the Minnesota Timberwolves where his father, Flip, took over as head coach this offseason.

Brenda Frese @BrendaFrese

W/great pride we congratulate our own @coachadkins on being hired by @NBA @WashWizards to develop their players. Love dreams come true.

http://www.umterps.com/ViewArticle.dbml ... =207387462

Adkins Bio:


Adkins joined the Terrapins after spending 16 years as a high school assistant coach, but his coaching laurels reach far beyond the prep ranks. Widely known in basketball circles as an elite developer of talent, Adkins has helped develop the games of five NBA players and trained many more, two McDonald's All-Americans, three Jordan All-Americans, three Maryland Gatorade Players of the Year, four Parade All-Americans and three Washington Post Players of the Year during his time teaching the game as a high school assistant, camp counselor and in private workouts. Additionally, Adkins has trained several high-profile European professionals, including former Maryland standout Nik Caner-Medley.

Over the course of his career, he has helped ripen the games of five NBA players and many Division I athletes such as Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder), Linas Kleiza (Toronto Raptors), Greivis Vasquez (Memphis Grizzlies), Austin Freeman (Georgetown), Jeff Peterson (Arkansas), Jerai Grant (Clemson), Victor Oladipo (Indiana) and Alex Len (Maryland).

Adkins has helped multiple Terrapins improve their games. He helped Tianna Hawkins and Alyssa Thomas become top-six WNBA Draft picks in 2013 and 2014, after neither came to College Park as McDonald’s All-Americans.


He most recently coached for three years at legendary high school power DeMatha Catholic in Hyattsville, Md., helping the Stags claim two conference titles and two city titles while compiling a record of 83-20. Prior to his stint at DeMatha, Adkins spent seven seasons as an assistant at nationally-acclaimed Montrose Christian High School in Rockville, Md. During his tenure, Montrose Christian was ranked No. 1 in The Washington Post final poll in 2003, 2005 and 2006 where it finished in the USA Today Top-10 each of those years.

In total, Montrose Christian finished in the top-25 of the USA Today poll in five of Adkins' seven seasons at the school.

Adkins' camp experience includes the Nike All-Asia Camp in Beijing (counselor), the Nike Basketball Power Factory Tryout and Training Camp in Beijing (coach), the Five Star Basketball Camp in Caloforte, Italy (camp director), the Chris Paul Elite Backcourt Camp, the Snow Valley Basketball Camp, the Nike All-American Camp (coach) and the Nike Hoop Jamboree Camp (coach).

[LyricalRico]

Local guy...good at developing young players...worked with Durant before...

What's not to like!

[TGW]

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Wow. This is not like the Wizards. Sort of like the playoff run. Change for the better ...



Sent from my SGH-M919 using RealGM Forums mobile app

[Dat2U]

Wow, the rare Wizards move I can't trash...

Give me time though, I'll find a way!

[Wizardspride]

Jeff Ermann ‏@insidemdsports

Not often you see a women's college assistant jump to the NBA, but Adkins is a proven developer of elite talent and very well-liked.




Jeff Ermann ‏@insidemdsports

Interesting theory alluded to on the #Wizards hiring David Adkins ... He's tight with a certain future free agent.

[Severn Hoos]

If you want to look back at a precedent to give you hope, consider the following:

July 2, 2003

Wizards Hire Phil Hubbard as Assistant Coach

Washington Wizards Head Coach Eddie Jordan announced today the hiring of Phil Hubbard as assistant coach. Hubbard will join new assistants Mike O’Koren and Tom Young on Eddie Jordan’s bench.

“I’m ecstatic to add a quality person like Phil Hubbard to our coaching staff,” said Head Coach Eddie Jordan. “He has great knowledge and understanding of the game and I’m sure the players will enjoy learning from him.”

For the past three seasons, Hubbard was an assistant coach at Golden State. Before coming to the Warriors, Phil was an assistant with the Atlanta Hawks where he began his coaching career during the 1997-98 season.

Read more at http://www.insidehoops.com/wizards-phil ... KcAKbuT.99

And 3 weeks later:

Jul 1, 2003 - Gilbert Arenas, previously with the Golden State Warriors, became a free agent.
Jul 21, 2003 - Gilbert Arenas signed a multi-year offer sheet with the Washington Wizards.

Just sayin...

[keynote]

Part of me thinks this is our team's usual provincial ways of favoring local DMV talent to cater to our fan base's more passionate ties to our local schools (or, I dunno, to avoid paying a new hire's relocation cost).

But if this increases our odds of attracting KD -- or, frankly, of grooming Porter to become the KD-esque player he is in his own fantasies -- I'm certainly all for it.

[Induveca]

Part of me thinks this is our team's usual provincial ways of favoring local DMV talent to cater to our fan base's more passionate ties to our local schools (or, I dunno, to avoid paying a new hire's relocation cost).

But if this increases our odds of attracting KD -- or, frankly, of grooming Porter to become the KD-esque player he is in his own fantasies -- I'm certainly all for it.

Feel the same way, local CHEAP hire.

[Wizardspride]

Part of me thinks this is our team's usual provincial ways of favoring local DMV talent to cater to our fan base's more passionate ties to our local schools (or, I dunno, to avoid paying a new hire's relocation cost).

But if this increases our odds of attracting KD -- or, frankly, of grooming Porter to become the KD-esque player he is in his own fantasies -- I'm certainly all for it.

Feel the same way, local CHEAP hire.

It's more than that.

[AFM]

THIS IS IT!!!! OUR BIG MOVE!!!! LE DECISION PART 3!!!!

[Severn Hoos]

Part of me thinks this is our team's usual provincial ways of favoring local DMV talent to cater to our fan base's more passionate ties to our local schools (or, I dunno, to avoid paying a new hire's relocation cost).

But if this increases our odds of attracting KD -- or, frankly, of grooming Porter to become the KD-esque player he is in his own fantasies -- I'm certainly all for it.

Feel the same way, local CHEAP hire.

Drafting Dixon or Blake or Profit or Jahidi is one thing. Those guys were on the court and theoretically drew fans to the arena, even if it was only a handful.

The thought that an end of the bench assistant coach/player development guy would be done to appeal to fans it pretty far-fetched, if you ask me.

That said, it could have the whiff of desperation - kind of like colleges hiring a HS coach hoping his star player will follow him to the school. And then when said star spurns the college, they have a coach under contract that they never really wanted, and don't have the player to show for it.

I certainly hope it's legitimate, and turns out to be a savvy move to lay the groundwork for attracting KD. If this is a guy he trusts, and feels like working with him year-round would take his game to the next level, it's an awesome hire. Maybe the hardball with Ariza, not making a deal for Love, not dumping Nene (2016 expiring) not using the MLE (yet) are all signs that they really are looking forward to 2016 as their chance to make a big splash. I hope they are. Durant is about the only player in the league who can hope to compete with LeBron.

It's starting to look like KD '16 or bust...

[Wizardspride]

Part of me thinks this is our team's usual provincial ways of favoring local DMV talent to cater to our fan base's more passionate ties to our local schools (or, I dunno, to avoid paying a new hire's relocation cost).

But if this increases our odds of attracting KD -- or, frankly, of grooming Porter to become the KD-esque player he is in his own fantasies -- I'm certainly all for it.

Feel the same way, local CHEAP hire.

Drafting Dixon or Blake or Profit or Jahidi is one thing. Those guys were on the court and theoretically drew fans to the arena, even if it was only a handful.

The thought that an end of the bench assistant coach/player development guy would be done to appeal to fans it pretty far-fetched, if you ask me.

That said, it could have the whiff of desperation - kind of like colleges hiring a HS coach hoping his star player will follow him to the school. And then when said star spurns the college, they have a coach under contract that they never really wanted, and don't have the player to show for it.

I certainly hope it's legitimate, and turns out to be a savvy move to lay the groundwork for attracting KD. If this is a guy he trusts, and feels like working with him year-round would take his game to the next level, it's an awesome hire. Maybe the hardball with Ariza, not making a deal for Love, not dumping Nene (2016 expiring) not using the MLE (yet) are all signs that they really are looking forward to 2016 as their chance to make a big splash. I hope they are. Durant is about the only player in the league who can hope to compete with LeBron.

It's starting to look like KD '16 or bust...

Fwiw, Adkins and KD are TIGHT. Very TIGHT.

But even if they weren't Adkins is more than qualified for the position.

[Wizardspride]

Kevin Durant @KDTrey5


Big Congrats to the University of Maryland women's basketball team, Final Four bound! S/O my high school coach Dave Adkins on the sideline

[montestewart]

If you want to look back at a precedent to give you hope, consider the following:

July 2, 2003

Wizards Hire Phil Hubbard as Assistant Coach

Washington Wizards Head Coach Eddie Jordan announced today the hiring of Phil Hubbard as assistant coach. Hubbard will join new assistants Mike O’Koren and Tom Young on Eddie Jordan’s bench.

“I’m ecstatic to add a quality person like Phil Hubbard to our coaching staff,” said Head Coach Eddie Jordan. “He has great knowledge and understanding of the game and I’m sure the players will enjoy learning from him.”

For the past three seasons, Hubbard was an assistant coach at Golden State. Before coming to the Warriors, Phil was an assistant with the Atlanta Hawks where he began his coaching career during the 1997-98 season.

Read more at http://www.insidehoops.com/wizards-phil ... KcAKbuT.99

And 3 weeks later:

Jul 1, 2003 - Gilbert Arenas, previously with the Golden State Warriors, became a free agent.
Jul 21, 2003 - Gilbert Arenas signed a multi-year offer sheet with the Washington Wizards.

Just sayin…

Wow, it would be amazing if the Wizards sign someone from the NCAA champion Terps as the first female NBA player. I think all the guys on the team could get behind that.

[Induveca]

If you want to look back at a precedent to give you hope, consider the following:

July 2, 2003

Wizards Hire Phil Hubbard as Assistant Coach

Washington Wizards Head Coach Eddie Jordan announced today the hiring of Phil Hubbard as assistant coach. Hubbard will join new assistants Mike O’Koren and Tom Young on Eddie Jordan’s bench.

“I’m ecstatic to add a quality person like Phil Hubbard to our coaching staff,” said Head Coach Eddie Jordan. “He has great knowledge and understanding of the game and I’m sure the players will enjoy learning from him.”

For the past three seasons, Hubbard was an assistant coach at Golden State. Before coming to the Warriors, Phil was an assistant with the Atlanta Hawks where he began his coaching career during the 1997-98 season.

Read more at http://www.insidehoops.com/wizards-phil ... KcAKbuT.99

And 3 weeks later:

Jul 1, 2003 - Gilbert Arenas, previously with the Golden State Warriors, became a free agent.
Jul 21, 2003 - Gilbert Arenas signed a multi-year offer sheet with the Washington Wizards.

Just sayin…

Wow, it would be amazing if the Wizards sign someone from the NCAA champion Terps as the first female NBA player. I think all the guys on the team could get behind that.

Ha

[Benjammin]

Wow, it would be amazing if the Wizards sign someone from the NCAA champion Terps as the first female NBA player. I think all the guys on the team could get behind that.

I see what you did there...lol.

[AFM]

Monte I've put you on ignore. Way too flippant for a message board.

[Wizardspride]

Just a little info for you guys:

I post on a Terps board and the reporters who cover the program talked to folks...and pretty much everyone believes that the Wiz hired Adkins with KD in mind.


Granted, Adkins is more than qualified in his own right but it's believed that KD was a HUGE factor in this move.

Just relaying what I heard.