Gary Gerould: Rick Adelman’s Sacramento success was ‘unparalleled’

The passing of Rick Adelman has prompted an outpouring of tributes from former players, coaches, broadcasters, and fans across Sacramento.

Among those reflecting on Adelman’s legacy was legendary Sacramento Kings radio voice Gary “G-Man” Gerould, who joined Sactown Sports’ The Carmichael Dave Show with Jason Ross to remember the Hall of Fame coach.

Gerould, who called all eight of Adelman’s playoff seasons in Sacramento (along with almost every other game in the Kings’ 40-plus year history in Northern California), described him as a private, family-oriented coach whose impact extended far beyond wins and losses.

“He’s a very private person, very much a family man, and something that I had genuine respect for,” Gerould said.

 (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)

More on Rick Adelman

As the Kings’ longtime radio broadcaster, Gerould interacted with Adelman regularly through pregame interviews. While their conversations often centered on basketball, Gerould recalled the moments that revealed Adelman’s character.

“Maybe a handful of times, he’d say, ‘How’s your daughter doing? How’s your family?” Gerould remembered. “Being such a family man, I always appreciated that so much.”

Adelman famously avoided the spotlight despite coaching one of the NBA’s most entertaining teams. Under his leadership, Sacramento became “The Greatest Show on Court,” featuring stars such as Chris Webber, Vlade Divac, Peja Stojakovic, Doug Christie, Mike Bibby, Bobby Jackson, and Jason Williams.

The Kings reached the playoffs in all eight of Adelman’s seasons, compiling a remarkable 395-229 record.

Gerould believes Adelman’s accomplishments should already be permanently recognized by the franchise.

“He should be in the rafters at Golden 1 Center, and there’s no question in my mind that’s going to happen,” Gerould said. “I think he was deserving of being up there a long, long time ago.”

(Photo by Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images)

The veteran broadcaster called Adelman’s success in Sacramento “unparalleled” in franchise history and pointed to the lasting admiration his former players still have for him.

“Players loved Rick Adelman. They loved to play for Rick Adelman,” Gerould said. “Rick Adelman didn’t call a lot of plays… it was your basic, ‘You know the game, use your intelligence, your basketball IQ, read and react.’”

Gerould also argued that, despite Hall of Fame recognition and more than 1,000 career victories, Adelman remains underrated because he never sought attention for himself.

“Every player that I’ve read, or you hear them talk about Rick Adelman, they love that man,” Gerould said. “If you look under ‘players coach’ in the dictionary, you’ve got to have a picture there of Rick Adelman.”

As Sacramento continues to celebrate one of the most beloved figures in franchise history, Gerould hopes fans focus on the joy Adelman brought to the city.

“May we smile when we think about him and the joy that he brought to Sacramento and the Sacramento Kings fans.”

Check out the full conversation at the top of the page or by heading over to the Sactown Sports YouTube channel.

Listen to The Carmichael Dave Show with Jason Ross from 6 – 10 a.m. PDT, Monday through Friday, on Sactown Sports 1140.

More Sacramento Kings content from Sactown Sports

What is the next Sacramento Kings Offseason Event?

The Sacramento Kings are preparing for a crucial 2026 NBA Draft, which is set to take place from Tuesday, June 23rd, through Wednesday, June 24th.

Sacramento owns the 7th pick in the Draft, giving them a chance at selecting a talented player with upside, such as Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr., Louisville guard Mikel Brown Jr., Houston’s Kingston Flemings, and Illinois guard Keaton Wagler, among others.

Be sure to stay locked into Sactown Sports for pre-draft workout news, player breakdowns, draft rumors and MUCH more.

Upcoming Sacramento Kings & NBA Offseason Schedule

• Tuesday, June 23rd – NBA Draft (Round 1)
• Wednesday, June 24th – NBA Draft (Round 2)
• Tuesday, June 30th – NBA Free Agency negotiation period begins (3 PM PT)
• Saturday, July 4th – Monday, July 6th – California Classic at Golden 1 Center
• Thursday, July 9th – NBA Las Vegas Summer League begins
• Monday, July 13th – Free Agency moratorium ends / signings can become official

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