Trae Young named assistant general manager of OU Basketball
The Norman native announced on ESPN's NBA Today that he's accepted a role as assistant general manager of the OU basketball program. In addition to his new position, Young will donate $1 million dollars to the program.
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'As someone who grew up in Norman and played at the University of Oklahoma, stepping into the role of assistant GM for OU Basketball is a huge honor,' said Young. 'This program has such a rich history, which I am fortunate to have been and continue to be a part of. In my new role, my focus is on helping contribute to OU's winning culture, working alongside the coaching staff and front office to bring in the right players to help us compete and succeed at the highest level.'
Young played one season with the Sooners in 2017-18, earning first team All-America honors along with National Freshman of the Year.
Young's role will include fundraising efforts, assisting in building the roster from high school prospects to the transfer portal, and negotiating contracts in accordance with NCAA rules and regulations.
Sooners tournament run comes to an end with loss to UConn in Sweet 16
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He's the second NBA player to accept an assistant GM role. Steph Curry did the same with his alma mater Davidson.
OU Director of Athletics Joe Castiglione thinks this move makes perfect sense for Young and the Sooners.
'Trae is a son of Norman, Oklahoma, and he's given so much to our city and its people,' said Castiglione. 'He has a strong affinity for this place and his commitment to ensuring our community is a thriving one is truly unmatched. He's also an OU legend who, in his time here and since, continues to achieve excellence both on and off the court. With this appointment, we're taking his commitment to Norman and to OU to the next level, dedicating our mutual support together to the success of our men's basketball program. His mind is made for this game, and we're incredibly fortunate he's in our corner wanting to put his talents and innovative thinking toward strengthening our program. On top of that, his continued financial generosity buoys our efforts in ways few other schools can enjoy. Even as he's thriving in the NBA, he never forgets his roots. We couldn't be more appreciative of him as well as excited to work together in helping our program flourish in this new era of college athletics.'
Young, a four-time NBA All-Star, will try to help Porter Moser's club build on a 20-14 season that ended in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
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'This is a really big day and incredibly exciting,' said Moser. 'First, just a huge thank-you to Trae for the $1 million gift to our program. What an unbelievably gracious offering. It will be put to effective use as we continue on our path toward sustained high-level success. We are extraordinarily grateful for the generous contribution.
'Second, Trae's addition as assistant general manager is going to pay significant dividends for our program on multiple levels. He is a basketball junkie in so many ways. He's obviously one of the biggest and most recognizable on-court talents in the world, so he brings immediate credibility with younger players. But I can tell you that Trae also pays close attention to the national basketball landscape and is dialed in to all levels of the sport. His knowledge, coupled with his desire for our program to be the best it can be, will absolutely move us forward.'
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