Ohio State basketball hires longtime NBA assistant to coaching staff

Ohio State basketball head coach Jake Diebler has his assistant to replace departing assistant coach Joel Justuce, who left the program to become an assistant with Vanderbilt. Longtime NBA assistant Mike Wells was hired to presumably become the top assistant on Diebler's staff.

Wells is an Ohio native from Mount Vernon, who played for Mount Vernon Nazarene from 1991-1993, began his coaching career with the Cougars the year after, from 1993 to 94 before joining the Houston Rockets as an assistant video coordinator from 1994-96. He was promoted to video coordinator from 1996-99, then bounced around as an assistant in the NBA from 1999 to 2011 with the Rockets, Lakers, Spurs, and Wizards before joining the college ranks.

He spent time as an assistant at George Mason from 2011-13 and South Florida for one year (2013-14) before heading back to the NBA, again as an assistant, with the Utah Jazz from 2014-22 and with the Charlotte Hornets for one year (2023-24). Wells' most recently spent time in Australia as an assistant with the Adelaide 36ers in 2024-25, then led the team to the 2026 NBL Championship Series last season before stepping down to come back to the United States.

"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."