NORMAN — Trae Young is stepping into a new assistant general manager role with the Oklahoma men’s basketball program and is also giving $1 million to his old school.
Young, who was the National Freshman of the Year at OU in 2018 and is now a four-time NBA All-Star in his seventh season with the Atlanta Hawks, announced the big news during a Monday afternoon appearance on ESPN’s NBA Today show.
Earlier this month, Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry became the first active player in North American professional sports to take on an administrative job at a college. With Curry helping his alma mater, Davidson, now Young is following suit with OU.
Trae Young
Atlanta guard Trae Young (11) gives his shoes to a fan following the Hawks’ 137-132 win against the Thunder on Wednesday at Paycom Center. By Sarah Phipps, The Oklahoman
“I think obviously, today, the game has changed, and with (name, image and likeness) and college basketball and the way it’s changed, I think it’s a perfect time for guys to be involved with the schools that made them who they were or helped just kind of push them to be who they were,” Young said on ESPN.
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“And I know for someone like Steph and me, we represent our schools off the court and in the locker rooms and talk trash all the time. So now to be able to represent even more is gonna be even more special.”
According to an OU press release confirming the hire, Young’s “responsibilities include assisting with the evaluation of high school and transfer portal prospects, as well as helping negotiate player contracts in accordance with NCAA and conference rules and the team’s revenue share budget. He will also assist with university fundraising initiatives to help grow support for OU's men's basketball program.”
OU men’s basketball does not have a head general manager at this time, but adding someone in that capacity is said to be under consideration. The OU football program hired former Senior Bowl executive director and NFL scout Jim Nagy as its GM in February.
Young hails from Norman and was a star at Norman North High School. He picked the Sooners over blue bloods Kansas and Kentucky in his college recruitment and averaged 27.4 points and 8.7 assists in his lone season at OU.
In the 2018 NBA Draft, Young was the fifth overall pick in the first round and was traded by the Dallas Mavericks to the Hawks for Luka Doncic. Young signed a five-year, $215 million contract extension with Atlanta in 2022. He's averaging 24.1 points and a career-high 11.5 assists this season.
2018 Bedlam basketball at Stillwater
No. 11 Trae Young hushes the Oklahoma State fans after hitting a three pointer in Bedlam on January 20, 2018 in Stillwater Okla. at Gallagher-Iba Arena. DEVIN LAWRENCE WILBER/For the Tulsa World
Young has a brief but impactful legacy of giving back to the OU and Norman communities. February 2024 saw the grand opening of the Young Family Athletic Center in north Norman, which Young funded and the city built to host youth basketball tournaments and other events.
Young worked out with Moser's team last summer and in January sent his personal charter bus to pick the Sooners up from the Atlanta airport for their game against Georgia in Athens.
"Trae is a son of Norman, Oklahoma, and he's given so much to our city and its people," OU athletic director Joe Castiglione said in the press release. "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."
It was not specified what Young’s $1 million donation will go toward, but it's possible it'll go straight into the name, image and likeness salary pool for constructing next season's roster through the transfer portal.
Moser was fired up about the contribution. He just led the Sooners through a Southeastern Conference gauntlet to their first NCAA Tournament appearance in his four seasons at the helm.
The extra funds could certainly help boost offseason momentum. Young's basketball knowledge can also be a valuable asset moving forward.
Trae Young
Atlanta Hawks and former Oklahoma Sooners basketball player Trae Young hangs out on the sideline during the NCAA football game between the UCLA Bruins and Oklahoma Sooners at Gaylord Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla. on Saturday, Sept. 8, 2018. IAN MAULE/Tulsa World
“What an unbelievably gracious offering,” Moser said in the release. “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.
"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 into 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."
Young is excited to get to work and help OU take a step up on the hardwood.
"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," Young added in the release. "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."
mason.young@tulsaworld.com
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