Adam Cohen

Adam Cohen, recognized as one of the nation’s top young basketball coaches, has made a strong imprint in his first five seasons at Stanford. After serving as an assistant coach for the Cardinal his first two seasons, Cohen was elevated to Associate Head Coach prior to the 2018-19 season.
 
Cohen owns more than a decade of experience as a college basketball mentor, including nine as a collegiate coach. He enters his sixth season at Stanford in 2021-22, previously serving as an assistant coach at Vanderbilt (2014-16), Harvard (2013-14) and Rice (2012-13).
 
Regarded as a top-notch teacher with a strong pedigree for developing talent, Cohen has helped mentor several all-conference players. Primarily working with Stanford’s perimeter players, he has made a strong impact on the group. Ziaire Williams was the 10th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft to the Memphis Grizzlies, KZ Okpala was drafted by the Miami Heat in the second round of the 2019 NBA Draft, and Tyrell Terry went to the Dallas Mavericks in the second round of the 2020 Draft. Daejon Davis and Terry have earned spots on the Pac-12’s five-member All-Freshman Team, with Terry also earning All-Pac-12 distinction. Dorian Pickens was an all-conference selection for his performance on the court and was voted the Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year for his efforts in the classroom in 2018.

Leading all recruiting efforts for the Cardinal program, Cohen was instrumental in landing one of the best recruiting classes in school history for 2020. Stanford’s 2020 class was regarded by nearly all the recruiting services as a top-10 class, led by top-five signee Ziaire Williams, the highest-rated student-athlete in program history. The 2020 class joins 2017 as top-10 classes, while the 2018 and 2019 groups earned top-25 status. The class of 2021 is the program's third top-20 group in four seasons, led by five-star forward Harrison Ingram.

The 2020-21 campaign was turned upside down by the COVID-19 global outbreak and subsequent restrictions in Santa Clara County, and Stanford showed its resilience and tenacity with a 14-13 overall record and 10 Pac-12 wins. The season included three wins over eventual Sweet 16 teams, two over Elite Eight programs, and a sweep of Arizona for the first time since 2008.

Stanford finished 20-12 overall in 2019-20, and remained solidly in contention for an NCAA Tournament berth throughout a season shortened by the COVID-19 global pandemic. Boasting the nation's No. 16-ranked scoring defense (KenPom No. 7), the Cardinal also shot its highest field goal percentage (.469) since 2003-04 and was led by junior Oscar da Silva (15.7 ppg, 6.4 rpg) and Tyrell Terry (14.6 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 3.2 apg), who emerged as one of the nation's top freshmen.
 
Cohen has played an important role for a Stanford team that won 19 contests overall, finished third in the Pac-12 and won 11 conference games – its highest finish and most conference wins in 10 seasons – in 2018. The Cardinal earned a postseason berth for the first time in three years.
 
Regarded as one of the game’s rising young coaches, the NABC named Cohen to its prestigious 30-under-30 Team, recognizing the nation’s top assistant coaches, at the 2016 Final Four in Houston. He was invited to take part in the prestigious Athletic Director U’s Collegiate Coaching Consortium at the 2018 Final Four in San Antonio.

Cohen has a proven track record in developing point guards. Under Cohen’s tutelage, Max Guercy became the all-time assist leader at Rice, Siyani Chambers developed into a First Team All-Ivy League selection at Harvard, Wade Baldwin IV was an NBA first-round draft pick from Vanderbilt and Daejon Davis set the program’s freshman assist record and was an Pac-12 All-Freshman Team selection at Stanford. Along with Baldwin (Blazers), Cohen's roster of current NBA players he has helped develop also includes Luke Kornet (Knicks) and Damian Jones (Warriors). 
 
Cohen arrived on The Farm prior to the 2016-17 season, after serving as an assistant coach at Vanderbilt for two seasons. He helped guide the Commodores to 40 combined victories and postseason berths in his two years in Nashville. Vanderbilt won 19 games and reached the NCAA Tournament in 2015-16.
 
Prior to Vanderbilt, Cohen was an assistant coach at Harvard. During the 2013-14 campaign with the Crimson, he helped guide the program to its fourth straight Ivy League title, an NCAA Tournament appearance, and program records for overall victories (27) and conference wins (13). He helped develop several All-Ivy selections, including Player of the Year Wesley Saunders.
 
Cohen broke into coaching during the 2012-13 season, serving as an assistant coach at Rice. He oversaw the Owl’s recruiting efforts, where he recruited all-conference and all-academic selection Marcus Jackson. 
 
Cohen’s Pac-12 ties are deep, as a student manager at Arizona and the Director of Operations at USC. A 2008 graduate of Arizona with a degree in political science, Cohen served as a student manager and assistant video coordinator under Hall of Fame coach Lute Olson.
 
After a year as a graduate assistant at New Orleans, Cohen joined the staff at USC as the Trojans’ video coordinator. He was elevated to Director of Operations after just one year. Cohen spent three seasons at USC (2010-12) prior to joining the coaching staff at Rice. 
 
Cohen, who serves on the Board of Directors for Rising Coaches Elite, was appointed to the Coaching for Literacy Coaches Council in 2017. He has overseen several elite camps, including the 2007 Nike Basketball clinic in Chengdu, China.
 
A native of Buffalo, New York, Cohen attended Williamsville North High School, where he served as a captain for the Spartans basketball team.
 
Cohen and his wife, Danielle, were married in San Diego in May 2018. Their son, Leo, was born in 2020.