 Forde with thePerth Wildcats in 2017 | |
| Cairns Taipans | |
|---|---|
| Position | Head coach |
| League | NBL |
| Personal information | |
| Born | (1982-01-11)11 January 1982 (age 44) |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Career information | |
| Playing career | 2003–2003 |
| Coaching career | 2010–present |
| Career history | |
Playing | |
| 2003 | Norths Bears |
Coaching | |
| 2010 | Rockingham Flames |
| 2011 | East Perth Eagles (assistant) |
| 2011–2012 | West Coast Waves (assistant) |
| 2012–2015 | East Perth Eagles |
| 2013–2019 | Perth Wildcats (assistant) |
| 2019 | East Perth Eagles |
| 2019–2020 | Sydney Kings (assistant) |
| 2020–2021 | Sydney Kings |
| 2021 | Hawke's Bay Hawks |
| 2021–present | Cairns Taipans |
| Career highlights | |
| As head coach: As assistant coach:
| |
Medals | |
Adam Forde (born 11 January 1982) is an Australian professionalbasketball coach who is the head coach of theCairns Taipans of theNational Basketball League (NBL). He is also head coach of theAustralia Men's 3x3 Gangurrus. Between 2013 and 2019, Forde was an assistant coach with thePerth Wildcats of the NBL and won fourNBL championships. After a season as an assistant coach with theSydney Kings in 2019–20, he served as their head coach during the 2020–21 season. He was appointed head coach of the Cairns Taipans in 2021, and in 2023 he was named theNBL Coach of the Year.
Forde has also coached in theState Basketball League (SBL), most notably guiding theEast Perth Eagles men's team to their maidenchampionship in 2014. He also spent a season as aWest Coast Waves assistant in theWNBL and briefly coached theHawke's Bay Hawks of theNew Zealand NBL in 2021.
Originally fromPerth, Western Australia, Forde attended college atJamestown Community College in New York between 2001 and 2003.[1][2] In 2003, he played semi-professionally in theWaratah League for theNorths Bears.[3]
Forde arrived at thePerth Wildcats in 2011 as an unpaid video tech but was continually promoted during his eight-year tenure.[4] After a stint as a development coach, Forde was appointed the Wildcats' technical assistant on 1 August 2013.[5][6][7] He became a full-time assistant in 2015.[8] Under head coachTrevor Gleeson,[4] Forde won fourNBL championships in2014,2016,2017 and2019.[8]
In May 2019, Forde was appointed assistant coach of theSydney Kings.[9] He helped head coachWill Weaver guide the Kings in2019–20 to the minor premiership and their first NBL Grand Final appearance since 2008.[10] Sydney were defeated 2–1 in aCOVID-impacted grand final series against Perth.[4]
On 4 December 2020, following Weaver's departure,[11] Forde was appointed head coach of the Kings for the2020–21 NBL season.[10] In his first season as an NBL head coach, he guided the Kings to a fifth-place finish and a 19–17 record, just missing out on a finals berth.[12] He parted ways with the Kings following the season.[13]
On 29 June 2021, Forde was appointed head coach of theCairns Taipans on a two-year deal.[14] After finishing ninth in2021–22 with just nine wins, he guided the Taipans to 18 wins and a finals spot in2022–23, as he was named theNBL Coach of the Year.[15][16]
On 3 March 2023, Forde re-signed with the Taipans on a two-year deal.[17] In the2024–25 NBL season, the Taipans went on an 11-game losing streak,[18] finishing in last place with an 8–21 record, their worst in Forde's four seasons at the helm.[19]
After initially parting ways with the Taipans following the 2024–25 season,[20] Forde re-signed as head coach on 13 June 2025.[21] He then spent time with theUtah Jazz during theSalt Lake City Summer League.[22]
In2010, Forde served as head coach of theRockingham Flames men's team in theState Basketball League (SBL).[23] In2011, he joined theEast Perth Eagles and served as an assistant coach for both the men's and women's teams.[24]
For the2012 season, Forde was appointed head coach of the East Perth Eagles men's team.[25] He helped guide the Eagles to the SBL Grand Final, where they were defeated 105–72 by theCockburn Cougars.[26] Following a semi-final defeat in2013, the Eagles returned to the SBL Grand Final in2014.[27] Forde helped guide the Eagles to their maidenchampionship with a 99–83 win over theGeraldton Buccaneers.[28] He stepped down as coach of the Eagles midway through the2015 season.[29][30]
Forde returned to coach the Eagles in2019.[8][31]
For the2011–12 WNBL season, Forde served as an assistant coach with theWest Coast Waves.[32][33]
In July 2020, Forde was appointed head coach of theHawke's Bay Hawks for the2021 New Zealand NBL season.[1][2] He split the role in 2021 with Jacob Chance, a fellow assistant with Forde during his time at the Perth Wildcats.[34][35][36][37]
In 2019, Forde served as the lead assistant coach underRob Beveridge with the Australian Emerging Boomers, helping the team win bronze at theWorld University Games inNaples, Italy.[1][38]
On 10 March 2025, Forde was appointed interim head coach of theAustralia Men's 3x3 Gangurrus.[39] He helped the team win gold at the3x3 Asia Cup and bronze at the inaugural 3x3 Champions Cup.[21] He continued as head coach for the2025 FIBA 3x3 World Cup in Mongolia.[40]
On 4 February 2026, it was announced that Forde would continue his commitments into 2026 including the2026 Commonwealth Games.[41]
Forde’s coaching identity as a "players' coach" and reputation have primarily revolved around his history in talent identification and player development. It can be found reported as far back as 2012 that Forde prioritised youth development.[42] With the Taipans being the lowest spending club in the NBL, and in some cases 45% less than the larger city clubs,[43] 'The Factory' moniker was adopted by Forde and the Taipans due to their focus on recruiting and upskilling rookies and undervalued players.[44][45] Most notably was back-to-backNBL Most Improved Player Award winnerKeanu Pinder in 2022 and 2023 – the first time this has been achieved in league history.Bobi Klintman andTaran Armstrong were signed to the NBA, while the discovery ofAlex Higgins-Titsha led to his first NBL contract and a training camp call-up with theGolden State Warriors less than 12 months later.[46][47]
It is perhaps best described by Australian sports broadcasterPeter Hooley who stated in an ESPN interview, "they are a small market team, that doesn't have the money to spend like some of the major city teams and it's his game style and culture that will have them be competitive regardless. I think of it as a 'Moneyball' situation for the Taipans, where Forde uses the budget he has to find a group of young players who are hungry to succeed or are desperate for a second chance. He's a true players coach and seems to have got the best out of most of his players in a short amount of time."[48]
Forde and his wife, Kylie, have a son.[1][49][50]
While Weaver is away, the Kings will be guided through their pre-season preparations by assistant coaches Adam Forde and James Duncan.
9,267 fans roared themselves hoarse as the Kings withstood a late Brisbane run to finish with three straight wins to close the season and a 19-17 record in what was Head Coach Adam Forde's final game with the organisation.
Forde was the Head Coach of the Rockingham Flames SBL team in 2010...
...and East Perth, who have put a big focus on youth under new coach Adam Forde.
He's a true players coach...
...where Kylie (Forde's wife) would say Carter (his son)...
