Who Is David Adelman? Meet The Denver Nuggets Interim Head Coach

The Denver Nuggets made a shocking move on Tuesday morning when they fired long-time head coach Michael Malone. The timing is odd for a decision of such importance, as the team has just three games left to play in the regular season and a postseason push looming, and it will be assistant coach David Adelman who takes over the reins for the rest of the current campaign.

David Adelman Takes Over As Nuggets Interim Head Coach

Adelman was born into basketball. His father is Rick Adelman, who completed 30 years of NBA service between being a player and coach. He is one of ten coaches in league history to rack up 1,000+ regular season victories, and was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame as a part of the Class of 2021. While he never won an elusive championship as a head coach, the elder Adelman is still considered to be one of the great leaders in league history.

David Adelman was born in 1981 in Salem, Oregon. His father was coaching at the local community college at the time, and he spent his adolescence in Portland while Rick was a coach with the Trail Blazers from 1983 until 1994. David attended Jesuit High School in Portland where he helped his team win a state title in 1999, and where he would become an assistant coach three years later.

“You’re asking for huge production from a guy who’s never done it before at this level.”@windhorstESPN on the Nuggets’ interim head coach David Adelman and their potential playoff picture. pic.twitter.com/PxDg0uxQLr

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) April 8, 2025

He worked his way up the ranks from there. After working as a head coach at a different local high school, Adelman was brought on to the Minnesota Timberwolves staff as a player development assistant coach, where he stayed for five years. He worked as an assistant coach for the Orlando Magic in 2016-17, and has been with the Nuggets in the same role ever since.

He’ll have his hands full immediately. The Nuggets are currently in 4th place in the tough and tight Western Conference, but have been struggling lately and could find themselves in the Play-In tournament if things don’t turn around soon. Denver is 11-13 since the All-Star break and have seen a drastic dropoff in their defensive efficiency, and had lost four in a row leading up to Malone’s firing.

The Nuggets have three regular season games left, beginning with a date in Sacramento with the Kings on Wednesday. While they currently sit in 4th place, there are four teams behind them that are within a half-game of their 47-32 record.