Ron Adams
Ron Adams | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 18, 1947 Laton, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Basketball coach |
| Years active | 1969–present |
| Known for | Assistant coach for Golden State Warriors, four NBA championships |
Ronald George Adams (born November 18, 1947) is an American basketball coach who currently holds the position of assistant coach with the Golden State Warriors in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Coaching Career
Adams launched his coaching journey in 1969, starting as an assistant at Fresno Pacific before ascending to head coach from 1972 until 1975. He then took on assistant coaching duties at U.S. International and UC Santa Barbara, followed by a professional coaching role with Belgium’s Sunair Ostende, where he secured the Belgian Cup in 1979. Returning to collegiate basketball, Adams served as both assistant and head coach at Fresno State throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, leading teams to several Big West tournament championships.
Making the leap to the NBA in 1992, Adams accumulated experience as an assistant coach with multiple franchises including the San Antonio Spurs, Philadelphia 76ers, Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Boston Celtics. Since joining the Golden State Warriors in 2014, he has played a key role in capturing four NBA titles (2015, 2017, 2018, 2022). His outstanding contributions earned him the Tex Winter Assistant Coach Lifetime Impact Award in 2022.
Highlights
- Winner of the Belgian Cup (1979)
- NIT champion (1983)
- Four Big West tournament titles (1981, 1982, 1984, 1991)
- Four NBA championships as assistant coach (2015, 2017, 2018, 2022)
- Recipient of the Tex Winter Assistant Coach Lifetime Impact Award (2022)
Early life and college career
Born and raised in Laton, California, Adams completed his high school education at Laton High School before playing as a guard for the Fresno Pacific Vikings basketball squad. He graduated in 1969 from Fresno Pacific College (currently known as Fresno Pacific University) with a bachelor's degree in political science and history. In recognition of his achievements both on the court (1965–69) and as a coach (1969–74), Adams was inducted into the Fresno Pacific University Athletic Hall of Fame in 2011.
Coaching career
Following his graduation, Adams began his coaching career at Fresno Pacific as an assistant in 1969 and was promoted to head coach after the conclusion of the 1971–72 season. During his second year leading the program, he guided the team to a 19–7 record. He also earned a master's degree in physical education from California State University, Fresno in 1974.
In 1975, Adams took on an assistant coaching role at United States International University and later served at UC Santa Barbara from 1976 to 1978. He then moved into professional coaching as head coach of Belgium’s Sunair Ostende during the 1978–79 season.
Between 1980 and 1986, Adams worked as an assistant coach for Fresno State, helping secure three PCAA Tournament championships. He succeeded Boyd Grant as head coach from 1986 to 1990, compiling an overall record of 43–72.
In 1990, Adams joined Jerry Tarkanian’s coaching staff at UNLV, contributing to an undefeated Big West regular season and a Final Four berth in 1991. After a period at Drake University, he followed Tarkanian to the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs in 1992. Adams subsequently held assistant coaching positions with the Philadelphia 76ers in 1994 and worked as a player personnel scout for the Portland Trail Blazers between 1996 and 1998.
In 1998, Adams was appointed assistant coach for the Milwaukee Bucks under George Karl. His NBA journey continued with roles alongside Scott Skiles and Tom Thibodeau at the Chicago Bulls and later under Scott Brooks with the Oklahoma City Thunder from 2008 to 2010. In 2013, he joined Brad Stevens’ staff as an assistant coach for the Boston Celtics.
On July 3, 2014, Adams became part of the Golden State Warriors’ coaching team under Steve Kerr. That season concluded with Golden State achieving a league-best regular season record of 67–15 and winning the NBA championship over the Cleveland Cavaliers—marking Adams’s first NBA title with the Warriors.
Renowned for his defensive coaching expertise within the NBA ranks, Adams was inducted into the Fresno County Athletic Hall of Fame in 2016. His defensive strategies helped guide Golden State to additional championships in 2017, 2018, and 2022 while maintaining top standings in the Western Conference during those campaigns.