Report: Alabama hiring Detroit Pistons assistant Brian Adams to staff

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Nate Oats is hiring Detroit Pistons assistant coach Brian Adams to the Alabama staff. Adams was not with the Pistons for a full season but will now be making the move to college basketball for the second time in his career.

“ESPN Sources: Alabama is hiring the Detroit Pistons’ Brian Adams as an assistant coach on Nate Oats’ staff,” Wojnarowski said via X. “Adams joined Pistons midway through last season after nearly a decade under Doc Rivers with Sixers and Clippers.”

Oats has made a habit of hiring NBA assistants and bringing them to Tuscaloosa. Last offseason, Alabama lost all three staff members to other head coaching jobs. Ryan Pannone was hired off the New Orleans Pelicans and is still on staff heading into the 2024-2025 season.

Adams will now join Pannone, alongside Preston Murphy, to fill out the Alabama bench this season.

Woj mentioned Adams spending time working under Doc Rivers. This was during the time with the Philadelphia 76ers. When Rivers was let go at the end of the 2023 season, there was a short stint in Taiwainn before getting another gig in the NBA with Detroit.

There is some college experience for Adams as well. If you flashback to the beginning of his coaching career in 2011, he worked as an assistant for Harvard. Two years in Boston then turned into another couple of seasons with Marist before switching over to the G-League with the Agua Caliente Clippers.

Alabama continues to add NBA influence

Oats has been praised his the past for running an NBA-style system at Alabama. The Crimson Tide put a huge emphasis on high-quality looks, either around the rim or out on the three-point line. Rarely will you see somebody pull up from the midrange, not being a shot Oats wants too often — if ever.

So finding assistant coaches through the NBA is not a huge surprise. Pannone was the first last offseason and he already has high reviews of Adams. Nick Kelly, formerly of The Tuscaloosa News, received a text from Pannone, saying Adams “Lives and breathes defense.”

When Alabama has been at its best under Oats, the defensive effort has been one of the best in college basketball. Last season was a struggle despite the trip to a first-ever Final Four. The Crimson Tide will be hoping Adams can come in and correct whatever problems they were having.