Adkins Named UW Women’s Basketball Associate Head Coach

SEATTLE – The Washington women's basketball program is adding 15 years of collegiate and NBA experience to the Huskies bench, as David Adkins has been named Associate Head Coach for the program, head coach Tina Langley announced today.

Adkins will join Latara King as one of two associate head coaches on the Huskies' staff for the 2024-25 season. 

"David is one of the great coaches in our game and a tremendous basketball mind," Langley said. "He possesses an elite work ethic, passion, and extensive knowledge of the game that have impacted NBA and college programs for years. He has worked with some of the highest caliber players in the world and stands out in his commitment to bringing out the best in them. There is no doubt that he will help equip our young women to play at the highest level."

Adkins is a skilled and innovative coach with over a decade of NBA experience, having worked as an Assistant Coach and Director of Player Development for the Denver Nuggets/Grand Rapids Gold (2023-24), Portland Trail Blazers (2022-23), and Washington Wizards (2014-2021). He also served as the Assistant Player Development Coach for the Los Angeles Clippers as well as the top Assistant Coach for the Ontario Clippers (G-League) during the 2021-22 season.

"I am extremely excited and grateful to join this Washington program! Knowing Tina for years, I've seen her ability to coach the game at an elite level and transform cultures and programs," Adkins said. "She has a gift for strategy and developing players that is unmatched in college basketball. What she has done at Washington is just extraordinary. If you look at the success, the caliber of this university, and the character of the people here, there is no better place to be. I'm thrilled to be part of a program on the rise and help support Coach Langley's vision."

Adkins' skill in player development is second to none, working with elite players from the collegiate to professional ranks, domestically and internationally, including Kevin Durant, Victor Oladipo, Damien Lillard, Alex Len, Greivis Vasquez, Alyssa Thomas, and Tianna Hawkins. His aptitude for forging enduring relationships with these individuals is a testament to his ability to connect and invest in players.

Adkins also has an exceptional grasp of the high-level collegiate game, having served alongside Langley at the University of Maryland from 2009-2014, which included an NCAA Final Four appearance. 

"During our time together, I was able to witness his ability to connect with and mentor young women," Langley said. "He is deeply committed to preparing them as professionals in life and basketball, which makes him an ideal fit for our program and the University of Washington."

Before his time at Maryland, Adkins was an Assistant Coach at DeMatha Catholic High School from 2006-09, and served as the Associate Head Coach at Montrose Christian High School before that (1999-2006).

A native of Leesburg, Va., Adkins attended Radford University, where he played basketball.

"I am also so grateful to his wife, Janet, and his daughters, Ryland and Camryn, for supporting his journey to Seattle," Langley said. "This was a family decision, and we could not be more excited to welcome them to Montlake!"