Denver Nuggets Coaching Staff 2023 includes Michael Malone, David Adelman, John Beckett, Ryan Bowen, Popeye Jones and Charles Klask.
The Denver Nuggets, a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado, rely on a dedicated coaching staff to contribute to the team's success. This staff includes a head coach, assistant coaches, and other personnel who provide essential support and guidance to the players.
Together, they work collaboratively to develop effective game strategies, improve player skills, and lead the team to victory.
Throughout the history of the Nuggets franchise, there have been a total of 22 head coaches. The franchise's first head coach was Bob Bass. He led the team to the division semifinals, unfortunately falling short against the New Orleans Buccaneers.
Notably, Doug Moe in 1988 and George Karl in 2013 were the only Nuggets coaches to receive the prestigious NBA Coach of the Year Award, highlighting their exceptional coaching achievements.
Michael Malone - Head Coach
Michael Malone took on the head coach role for Denver Nuggets on June 15, 2015. Malone is in his seventh season with 266 wins.
Since assuming the coaching position before the 2015-16 season, Malone has guided the Nuggets to the playoffs three times, including a notable appearance in the Western Conference Finals in 2020.
Notably, Malone boasts 305 victories as an NBA head coach and over 24 years of coaching experience. Throughout his career, he has worked with six teams, namely Knicks, New Orleans, Cleveland, GSW, Sacramento, and Denver, accumulating a wealth of knowledge and expertise.
Incredibly, the teams that Malone has been part of as coaching personnel has amassed an impressive 12 playoff appearances, including one NBA Finals appearance and three conference finals appearances.
Malone and his coaching personnel also had the honor of coaching Team LeBron at the 2019 NBA All-Star game in Charlotte, NC, where they emerged victorious with a 178-164 win over Team Giannis.
Furthermore, the 51-year-old inherited his mentoring abilities from his father. Michael Malone dad Brendan Malone is a seasoned NBA coach with over 28 years of experience in the league.
David Adelman - Assistant Coach
David Adelman joined the Denver Nuggets as an assistant coach in the 2018-19 season. David is currently in his fifth season with the franchise.
Before his time with the Nuggets, Adelman was an assistant coach for the Orlando Magic during the 2016-17 season. He also spent the prior five seasons with the Timberwolves, initially as a player development coach and later transitioning to an assistant coach role for the final 3 seasons.
David Adelman NBA career began in 2011 when he joined the league as a player development coach. During his time with the Timberwolves, he also had the opportunity to lead the team's summer league squads as the head coach for three seasons.
Before entering the NBA coaching ranks, Adelman gained experience as the head basketball coach at Lincoln High School in Portland, Oregon, where he spent five seasons at the program's helm.
John Beckett - Assistant Coach
John Beckett is another illustrious name on the list of Denver Nuggets assistant coaches. John is in his third season for the Nuggets.
He initially joined the franchise during the 2016-17 season as the Director of Player Development. Before his time in Denver, Beckett worked for the Delaware 87ers where he conducted individual pre-game and pre-practice workouts to help players improve their skills.
Beckett also had a nine-year tenure with the Atlanta Hawks, where he worked as the team's video coordinator and assisted with player development.
His responsibilities included analyzing game footage and providing valuable insights to support the team's strategies and player growth.
Furthermore, alongside his work in basketball, Beckett spent 14 years as a freelance production contributor for Turner Sports and NBA TV.
He was an esteemed member of the Emmy Award-winning "NBA on TNT" studio show, contributing to the production and analysis of NBA games and related content.
Ryan Bowen - Assistant Coach
Ryan Bowen is in his 11th season as an assistant coach in the NBA. He spent two seasons with Denver before joining the crew of Sacramento.
However, Ryan ultimately returned to the Nuggets in 2015. Bowen is involved in various aspects including on-court player development.
During his playing days, Bowen was selected by the Nuggets in the second round (55th overall) of the 1998 NBA Draft. His contributions to the team were recognized when he was chosen as one of the Nuggets' All-Time Top 50 players, a distinction voted on by local media.
After retiring from professional basketball in 2009, Bowen returned to his alma mater, the University of Iowa, where he served as the video coordinator for the Hawkeyes. He held that post for one season before leaving Iowa City to pursue a coaching role with the Denver Nuggets.
Popeye Jones - Assistant Coach
Popeye Jones is the new member of the Nuggets. He was previously was as an assistant coach for the 76ers during the 2020-21 season.
Before his time in Philadelphia, Jones spent seven seasons in the same role with the Indiana Pacers. Jones previously worked in the front office of the Brooklyn/New Jersey Nets for three years, initially focusing on player development before transitioning to an associate mentor role.
Beyond his basketball endeavors, Jones takes pride in being the father of four sons: Justin, Seth, Caleb, and Camden. Of his sons, Seth and Caleb have followed their passion for hockey and play professionally as teammates for the Chicago Blackhawks.
Charles Klask - Assistant Coach
Charles Klask recently took on the head coach role for the Denver Nuggets Summer League team in Las Vegas during the 2021 season.
Previously, Klask was an assistant coach and advance scout for the Brooklyn Nets during the 2013-14 season. Before that, he was an associate guru for the Detroit Pistons from 2011 to 2013.
Klask also spent a significant portion of his early career with the Orlando Magic, where he worked from 2002 to 2011 as a video coordinator.
Klask's journey in the NBA began as a video coordinating intern with the Detroit Pistons in the summer of 2001. He later assumed the role of video coordinator for the Detroit Shock of the WNBA before transitioning to various tutelage positions in the league.
Ryan Saunders - Assistant Coach
Denver Nuggets assistant coach Ryan Saunders was appointed by the franchise for the men's basketball team on June 22, 2022.
Saunders began his NBA coaching career in 2009, joining the Washington Wizards as an assistant coach. He then transitioned to the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2014, serving in the same role.
On January 6, 2019, Saunders was promoted to interim head coach for the Timberwolves following the firing of Tom Thibodeau. This appointment made him the youngest head coach in the NBA for the 2018-19 season.
Saunders quickly made an impact, securing his first win in his debut game on January 8. The Timberwolves emerged victorious against the Oklahoma City Thunder, and Saunders became the youngest head coach since 1978 to win in his debut game.
Ognjen Stojakovic - Assistant Coach
Ognjen Stojakovic has been the director of player development for the Denver Nuggets since the 2018-22 season.
Stojaković's journey with the Nuggets began before the 2013-14 NBA season when he joined as the assistant video coordinator. He held this role for three seasons before being promoted to assistant coach for player development at the start of the 2016-17 season.
His dedication and contributions led to another promotion before the 2019-20 NBA season when he became the director of player development.
During the 2023 NBA All-Star Game, Stojaković had the honor of being an associate coach for Team LeBron, representing the Nuggets under the leadership of Michael Malone.
Before his time with the Nuggets, Stojaković had a training stint in the youth system, starting in August 2004. After almost seven years, he concluded his tenure with FMP at the end of the 2010-11 season.
Elvis Valcarcel - Advance Scout/Assistant Coach
Elvis Valcarcel joined Denver in September 2018, initially serving as an advance scout. However, as of July 2022, he has taken on the duty of assistant coach for the franchise.
Before his time with the Nuggets, Valcarcel worked with the New Orleans Pelicans for three years. He held the position of special assistant to the head coach for two years and then transitioned to the role of assistant coach for an additional two years, per his LinkedIn page.
Valcarcel's career highlights include a two-year stint as a video coordinator for the Sacramento Kings. He was crucial in managing and analyzing video footage to support team strategies and player development.
Born in Union City, New Jersey, Valcarcel pursued his education at Rutgers University, earning a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and sociology. He is happily married to Kristen, and together they have two children named Brooklyn and Logan.
Dan Shimensky - Head Athletic Trainer
Dan Shimensky has been an integral part of the Denver Nuggets for 15 seasons, with the last eight years spent as the Head Athletic Trainer.
His primary focus is ensuring the health and well-being of the team, but he also takes on additional responsibilities within the organization to ensure smooth operations, such as coordinating the team's travel arrangements.
Before assuming his current role, Dan was the Assistant Athletic Trainer and Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach for 7 seasons from 2007-14.
During this time, he made valuable contributions and was acknowledged for his expertise by being selected as an executive committee member, where he represented the Western Conference Assistant Athletic Trainers during the 2013-2014 NBA season.
Throughout his tenure with the Nuggets, Shimensky has played a vital role in maintaining the team's physical well-being and supporting their performance on the court.
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