Adam Mazarei, who played an instrumental role in a turnaround at Vanderbilt and spent six successful seasons at the NBA level, has joined the California men’s basketball program as an associate head coach, head coach Mark Madsen announced.
Mazarei, a Thousand Oaks, California native, returns to the West Coast after four seasons (2019-23) on staff at Vanderbilt under head coach Jerry Stackhouse, the final year in which he was an associate head coach. During Mazarei’s tenure in Nashville, the Commodores made consecutive NIT quarterfinal appearances in 2021-22 and 2022-23 as part of the program’s first winning seasons since 2016-17. Vanderbilt’s 22 wins last season were its most in more than a decade.
In six seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies (2013-19) – three as an assistant coach and three as a player development assistant – the organization made the NBA playoffs four times, including a 55-win campaign in 2014-15 en route to the second round.
“Adam has a deep and expansive basketball mind and is one of the best Xs and Os coaches in the country,” Madsen said. “His experience and success with the Memphis Grizzlies and most recently at Vanderbilt will mesh perfectly with where our program is heading in the future. Adam is a tireless leader and our young men are going to benefit from him on and off the court in the best ways possible. We’re thrilled to have him in Bear Territory.”
Mazarei’s impact at Vanderbilt was swift, as he oversaw team skill development and scouting while assisting with practice planning, player development, recruiting and academics. He saw two Commodores – Aaron Nesmith, Saben Lee – selected in the 2020 NBA Draft and was vital in the three-year progression of Scotty Pippen Jr., who led the SEC in scoring in 2021-22 before signing with the Los Angeles Lakers.
“I’m both excited and incredibly thankful to join the Cal family,” Mazarei said. “Mark has been a consistent winner throughout his career and I greatly admire his unrelenting energy and desire to develop young men on and off the basketball court. I look forward to working alongside this terrific staff in Berkeley as we strive toward the common goal of building something special. I know this will be a tremendous opportunity to grow both as an individual and as a coach. Go Bears!”
Mazarei quickly climbed the ladder in Memphis, going from player development coach to advanced scout to NBA personnel scout, all while maintaining his player development duties. Once promoted to assistant coach ahead of the 2016-17 NBA season, he was responsible for the Grizzlies guards and young talent, including Mike Conley, Andrew Harrison and Dillon Brooks.
Prior to arriving in Memphis, Mazarei spent three years (2010-13) at Moorpark College (Calif.) as an assistant and associate head coach. He also served as a player development coach at the IMPACT Basketball Academy in Las Vegas from 2019-13, where he prepared pre-draftees for the NBA combine and team workouts.
Mazarei’s coaching career began at the grassroots level in 2006 when he founded Kings Basketball Academy, a Southern California-based youth program that helped develop 44 collegiate athletes.
Mazarei received his master’s degree in athletic administration and coaching from Concordia in 2013 and earned his undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of Redlands (Calif.) in 2006, where he starred at point guard and led the SCIAC in assists per game and paced all NCAA divisions in assist-to-turnover ratio (5:1) as a senior.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING ABOUT ADAM MAZAREI
“Coach Maz was a tremendous help in my development during my sophomore year at Vanderbilt. He brought NBA coaching experience to our program and taught me as much as he could to prepare me for the next level, from off-the-court tendencies to my on-floor abilities. He was always willing to put in the extra 1-on-1 work with me and always held me accountable when I wasn’t doing what I needed to. The Golden Bears got a great one in Coach Maz.” – Aaron Nesmith, Indiana Pacers guard and 2020 NBA Draft lottery pick
“Coach Maz was crucial in my development as he helped me improve my game on the court and gave me advice as a man off the court. I appreciate him so much for everything he’s done for me, and we’ll always have a relationship. Coach Maz cares deeply about his players and wants the best for them in every aspect of life.” – Scotty Pippen Jr., Los Angeles Lakers guard and two-time All-SEC first team selection
“I met Adam early in my professional career when I made the leap from Europe to the NBA and signed with the Memphis Grizzlies. I did skill development with him every morning and got the chance to see the devotion and knowledge of his craft. We’ve always stayed in contact throughout our career journeys and I’m excited to have him be a part of the Cal family.” – Patrick Christopher, Cal alumnus, former NBA player and two-time All-Pac-10 first team selection
THE MAZAREI FILE
Personal
Hometown: Thousand Oaks, California
Alma Mater: University of Redlands, 2006 (BA, psychology); Concordia, 2013 (MS, athletic administration & coaching)
Coaching Experience
2009-13: IMPACT Basketball Academy (Player Development)
2010-13: Moorpark College (Assistant/Associate Head Coach)
2013-16: Memphis Grizzlies (Player Development)
2016-19: Memphis Grizzlies (Assistant Coach)
2019-23: Vanderbilt (Assistant/Associate Head Coach)
2023-Present: California (Associate Head Coach)
Mazarei named Associate Head Coach at Cal
Photo Courtesy Cal Athletics
