Under general manager Sam Presti, the Oklahoma City Thunder have rebuilt and emerged as the best team in the NBA. With plenty of young talent and a seemingly endless supply of draft picks, it's expected that the Thunder will only get better in the coming years.
A big part of their success has been their uncanny ability to hit on draft picks. Some of their best players were selected outside of the top ten and weren't seen as sure things, but the shooting coach Chip Engelland has turned one-dimensional prospects into solid NBA players. On top of that, their scouting department has been able to find players who will fit in their system.
One man responsible will be leaving the Thunder this season for a dream job.
Thunder scout Corey Evans has served OKC since 2021, but he will be taking over as the University of Cincinnati's men's basketball general manager, the first in program history.
The GM role in college has gained steam as recruiting, transfers, and NIL deals have all changed in recent years, forcing coaches to bring in more help. Unlike in the NBA, the coach has the final say over the GM in the college ranks, but it's still an illustrious position.
Sources: Cincinnati has hired Oklahoma City Thunder scout Corey Evans as the school's new men's basketball general manager. He's worked for the Thunder for nearly five years and was part of the draft process for players like Jalen Williams, Aaron Wiggins and Cason Wallace. pic.twitter.com/acbWkxnxCx
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) March 31, 2025
"Evans' roles with the Thunder included player evaluations and intelligence work on all pre-draft prospects worldwide. He also helped in the hiring processes of entry-level coaches and interns. The Thunder last year became the youngest team in NBA history to earn a No. 1 seed (23.9 years old) and are in position to do it again this season," wrote the university in a press release.
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The Bearcats have not made March Madness since 2019, and have since joined the Big 12, where recruiting is a little more cutthroat. Now with a premier talent evaluator from a big-name NBA program, Cincinnati is expected to improve drastically over the next few seasons.
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This story was originally published March 31, 2025 at 1:43 PM.