Matt Elkin - Stanford University Men's Basketball Assistant Coach - Episode 1264

Matt Elkin is in his second season with the Stanford men's basketball program and his first as assistant coach. Elkin spent 2024-25 as assistant recruiting coordinator at Stanford before spending one season at Columbia in 2025-26 as an assistant coach.Elkin arrived at Stanford in 2024 after spending the previous four seasons at Yale as director of basketball operations. Concurrent with his role at Yale, Elkin has served as an assistant coach with Team USA with the under-18 team. He helped lead the American delegation to a gold medal at the 2022 World Maccabiah Games. Matt is also the Executive Director of the Jewish Coaches Association.Prior to his time in New Haven, Elkin served as an assistant coach at the Windward School in Los Angeles, where he helped the program to a 53-15 record over two seasons. He also spent two seasons at Vermont Academy as a varsity assistant coach from 2016-18.Elkin began his coaching career as a student manager at the University of Wisconsin and later served as head manager and student assistant for two seasons at Division III Edgewood College in Madison, Wisconsin. While earning a Master’s degree in Sports Leadership from Northeastern in 2016, Elkin served as the graduate manager for the men’s basketball team for two seasons.On this episode Mike & Matt discuss his remarkable journey from coaching youth basketball to achieving his dream role at a prestigious institution like Stanford. Throughout our conversation, Matt emphasizes the importance of fostering enjoyment and passion in the game, a principle instilled in him by his early coaches. We delve into his experiences at Yale, where he contributed to three Ivy League championships, and how those formative years shaped his coaching philosophy. Elkin discusses the challenges and opportunities presented by the evolving landscape of college basketball, particularly with respect to the recruitment process amidst the pressures of the NIL era. Matt shares his commitment to nurturing student-athletes, ensuring they thrive both on the court and in their academic pursuits, all while upholding the values that define Stanford's storied legacy in athletics and education.Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @hoopheadspod for the latest updates on episodes, guests, and events from the Hoop Heads Pod.Make sure you’re subscribed to the Hoop Heads Pod on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts and while you’re there please leave us a 5 star rating and review. Your ratings help your friends and coaching colleagues find the show. If you really love what you’re hearing recommend the Hoop Heads Pod to someone and get them to join you as a part of Hoop Heads Nation.Be sure to have pen and paper handy before you listen to this episode with Matt Elkin, Men’s Basketball Assistant Coach at Stanford University.Website - https://gostanford.com/sports/mens-basketball https://jewishcoaches.com/Email - [email protected]/X - @CoachElkin