David Akinyooye
David Akinyooye | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 29, 1989 United States |
| Occupation | Professional basketball coach |
| Years active | 2011–present |
| Known for | Assistant coach for the Oklahoma City Thunder |
David Akinyooye (born September 29, 1989) is an American professional basketball coach who currently serves as an assistant coach for the Oklahoma City Thunder in the National Basketball Association. Prior to coaching, he competed collegiately with the Adelphi Panthers and played one professional season with the Springfield Armor before transitioning into coaching roles, beginning with the New York Knicks.
College career
During his four-year tenure with the Adelphi Panthers, Akinyooye distinguished himself notably in his senior year by ranking second on the team in total points scored with 318. He also led his squad in rebounds and blocks. On January 25, 2011, he achieved a personal best of 20 rebounds in a matchup against Franklin Pierce. Over the course of conference games that season, he averaged 8.9 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per contest, placing him fourth in the Northeast-10 Conference. His performance earned him a spot on the All-Met Division II Men's College Basketball First Team.
Springfield Armor (2011–2012)
After going undrafted in the 2011 NBA draft, Akinyooye signed with the Springfield Armor for the 2011–12 NBA D League campaign. On December 8, 2011, he reached career highs by scoring 12 points and grabbing 7 rebounds during a victory over the Maine Red Claws. The Armor waived him on January 20, 2012; he was re-signed three months later but was released again on March 14, 2012, marking the conclusion of his professional playing career.
Coaching career
Following his single professional season, Akinyooye began his coaching journey as a workout associate for the New York Knicks during the 2012-13 NBA season. The subsequent season, he joined the San Antonio Spurs as a player development quality assurance assistant. Jim Boylen, former head coach of the Chicago Bulls who collaborated with Akinyooye in San Antonio, remarked that he "wasn't scared" and "dove right in." After gaining experience in these NBA roles, Akinyooye accepted an assistant coaching position with ASVEL Lyon-Villeurbanne, a club where ex-Spurs star Tony Parker held majority ownership.
Upon completing a season abroad, Akinyooye returned stateside to serve as an assistant coach for the Oklahoma City Blue in the NBA G League. In his initial year, he contributed to leading the Blue to a league-best 34–16 record under head coach Mark Daigneault. After four seasons with Oklahoma City's G League affiliate, Akinyooye was elevated to assistant coach for the Oklahoma City Thunder ahead of the 2019-20 NBA season.
In 2023, he took on head coaching duties for the Thunder's squad competing in the 2023 NBA Summer League held in Utah. Under his guidance, the team achieved a 2–1 record, with guard Tre Mann finishing as the league's top scorer.
NBA G League
|- | style="text-align:left;"|2011–12 | style="text-align:left;"|Springfield | 20 || 0 || 14.2 || .429 || .214 || .700 || 2.9 || .2 || .2 || .3 || 4.5 |- class="sortbottom" | style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career | 20 || 0 || 14.2 || .429 || .214 || .700 || 2.9 || .2 || .2 || .3 || 4.5