Rick Adelman

Lore & Background

Adelman coached the Minnesota Timberwolves from September 13, 2011, until his retirement on April 21, 2014. He won his 1,000th career game on April 6, 2013, with a victory over the Detroit Pistons. After retiring, he stayed with the Timberwolves as a consultant.

In Their Own Story

The lights hummed over the Metrodome's artificial turf as Adelman paced the sideline in 1989. The crowd was sparse but hopeful, watching a new logo take shape on a court surrounded by football seats. He clapped his hands, signaling a play that would bounce off the rim, yet he nodded to the bench with quiet resolve. There were no championships here yet, only the slow, deliberate work of building something from scratch in the frozen north.

Reader's Guide

Adelman's coaching career included two NBA Finals appearances with the Portland Trail Blazers (1990 and 1992), both losses. He never won an NBA title. He ranks ninth in games coached and games won, and went 79–78 in playoff games.

Did You Know?

• Adelman was hired by the Timberwolves on September 13, 2011.
• He won his 1,000th career game on April 6, 2013, against the Detroit Pistons.
• He retired from coaching on April 21, 2014, and remained with the Timberwolves as a consultant.
• Adelman was inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2021.