New 36ers coach Mike Wells blows up at his players ahead of NBL25 season opener

The Adelaide 36ers playing group were handed a feisty, expletive-laden spray from new coach Mike Wells ahead of NBL25’s season opener in Perth.

New 36ers coach Mike Wells has shown he isn’t in Adelaide to muck around, caught on camera launching a pair of expletive-laden tirades at his players during a fiery practice session.

Wells, incensed at his team’s effort, brought back memories of last year’s famous Mitch McCarron “stop f**king bitching” rant with his own hot mic moment ahead of Sunday’s season opener against Sydney.

“We are f**king around, It’s bullshit,” the American roared.

“Turn and get the f**k back. Goddamn it

“What the f**k?”

Realising the news cameras were rolling, wells furore had a new target: “Turn those f**king cameras off too, God damnit.”

He then did his best Steve Kerr impersonation, flinging his clipboard in disgust after chewing out new import guard Kendric Davis.

New 36ers coach Mike Wells was caught firing a spray to his players ahead of their first game of the season. Picture: Matt Roberts/Getty Images

“How can we stand here and let him dribble? KD, you turned your back on the ball,” Wells yelled.

“Do we not give a f**k?

“I have to act like a god damned idiot?”

Post-training, Wells passed his intense showing off as part of the process of making his team the best in the NBL.

“What you’re trying to do is you’re trying to get iron to sharpen iron … you’re trying to get guys to compete at the highest level and then be able to get it emotional and then Be able to reel it back in,” Wells said.

“Us learning to play together we’re all at different levels and different stages of our prof careers.

“What we want to do is come together as a group we want to hardened by competition like this.

“You’re trying to get it to as much of a game-like competition as you can and then move the group forward.

“The group as a whole has been extremely coachable.”

Déjà vu in Adelaide!

Mike Wells goes off at his team during an open practice session, just before the start of the season 😳

via @10SportAU#NBL25

pic.twitter.com/rktJhzrE4I

— NBL News (@NBL_News) September 19, 2024

Wells said the club would “monitor” new import Montrezl Harrell as he prepares to play his first game since wrecking his knee while playing for Philadelphia last year.

“It’s kind of a work in progress, obviously he’s got a very high basketball IQ but he’s been out of basketball for a little bit,” he said.

“We’ll monitor him and we’ll just try to put him in the best position to be successful for him and the team.”

Of facing the nominal title favourite Kings, Wells had jokes: “They just give us a layup right out of the gate, right?”

“Good for us early on in the season to take a shot at somebody that’s really, really good,” he said.

Originally published as New 36ers coach Mike Wells blows up at his players ahead of NBL25 season opener