Shaquille O’Neal has joined the Sacramento State men’s basketball program as general manager, the school confirmed Tuesday, making him the latest star to attach his name to a college program in a new trend this offseason.
O’Neal will join first-year coach Mike Bibby’s program in an unpaid, voluntary capacity. His son, Shaqir O’Neal, recently transferred to Sacramento State after spending his junior season at Florida A&M and first three collegiate seasons with Texas Southern.
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Bibby, the longtime NBA guard who spent more than six seasons with the Sacramento Kings, was hired as men’s basketball coach in March.
ESPN first reported the news of O’Neal agreeing to join Sacramento State.
Multiple college programs have turned to current or former NBA stars this offseason to fill GM-type capacities. Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry joined his alma mater, Davidson, as the men’s basketball GM in March and is helping create an eight-figure fund to support both the men’s and women’s teams. A few weeks later, Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young signed on as the men’s basketball assistant general manager for his alma mater, Oklahoma. Young also pledged to donate $1 million to the program. Fellow Hawks guard Terance Mann also joined his alma mater, Florida State, as assistant GM in early April.
Former Stanford star quarterback Andrew Luck returned to his alma mater in November as the general manager of the football program.
O’Neal played 19 seasons in the NBA, winning four championships, three NBA Finals MVPs and one league MVP. He is currently an analyst on TNT’s studio show “Inside the NBA.”
This story will be updated.
(Photo: Darren Yamashita / USA Today)
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