Jake Diebler has added an assistant coach with more than two decades of NBA coaching experience.
Six weeks after Ohio State's top assistant, Joel Justus, departed Columbus to join head coach Mark Byington's staff at Vanderbilt, the Buckeyes hired Mike Wells as an assistant coach on Wednesday, a source told Eleven Warriors.
The 54-year-old stepped down from being the head coach of the NBL's Adelaide 36ers in Australia last week, as he wanted to return to the United States and be closer to his family, who resides in Utah.
Wells led the 36ers to the 2026 NBL Championship Series this past season. Adelaide's 27-14 record in Wells' lone season leading the team was their best since 1986.
"I'm incredibly proud of what we've built in Adelaide over the past two seasons," Wells said in a statement. "The players, staff and fans have made my family and me welcome. Adelaide is a special place, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to have been part of the 36ers.
"But having spent some time back home in Utah with my sons, seeing my dad who is getting older, realizing I have been away from family for much of the past three decades, I know the decision to step down to be with my family is right."
| YEAR | TEAM/SCHOOL | ROLE |
|---|---|---|
| 1993-94 | MOUNT VERNON NAZARENE | ASSISTANT |
| 1994-96 | HOUSTON ROCKETS | ASSISTANT VIDEO COORDINATOR |
| 1996-99 | HOUSTON ROCKETS | VIDEO COORDINATOR |
| 1999-2004 | HOUSTON ROCKETS | ASSISTANT |
| 2004-05 | LOS ANGELES LAKERS | ASSISTANT |
| 2005-09 | SAN ANTONIO SPURS | ASSISTANT |
| 2009-11 | WASHINGTON WIZARDS | ASSISTANT |
| 2011-13 | GEORGE MASON | ASSISTANT |
| 2013-14 | SOUTH FLORIDA | ASSISTANT |
| 2014-22 | UTAH JAZZ | ASSISTANT |
| 2023-24 | CHARLOTTE HORNETS | ASSISTANT |
| 2024-25 | ADELAIDE 36ERS | ASSISTANT |
| 2025-26 | ADELAIDE 36ERS | HEAD COACH |
A native of Mount Vernon, Ohio, Wells played basketball at Mount Vernon Nazarene from 1991-93 before starting his coaching career in 1993, where he was an assistant for Mount Vernon Nazarene while also attending the United States Sports Academy. After just one season at his alma mater, Wells joined the Houston Rockets as an intern and assistant video coordinator in 1994 before becoming the video coordinator in 1996. He was then promoted to an assistant coach in 1999.
He has over 27 years of coaching experience, both as an assistant at the college, NBA and NBL levels, along with his lone season as a head coach in Australia after being elevated from assistant to the head job this past season. His coaching history includes assistant coaching tenures with the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs, Washington Wizards, Utah Jazz and Charlotte Hornets. He won NBA championships with the Rockets in 1995 and Spurs in 2007.
"He is not only an outstanding coach, but a person of great character who has made a significant impact," 36ers owner and executive chairman Grant Kelley said of Wells.
Along with that experience, he also served as an assistant coach with USA Basketball in three of six qualifying windows for the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup, was a head scout for Team USA from 1998-2003 and was the Jazz's director of basketball operations in his final three seasons (of eight) with the NBA team between 2014-22.
Wells joins a staff of assistant coaches that also includes Dave Dickerson, Jamall Walker, Luke Simons and Brian Walsh, each of whom returns from last season. Ohio State is still looking for a new strength and conditioning coach to fill out Jake Diebler's staff after the Buckeyes parted ways with Quadrian Banks, who had led the strength and conditioning program for Ohio State men’s basketball since 2017.
