Former Sooner guard Trae Young steps into assistant general manager role. Read more at oudaily.com.
Former Sooner Trae Young was named assistant general manager for the Oklahoma men's basketball team in an announcement on ESPN on Monday.
Young also announced he would make a $1 million donation to the program.
"It's exciting to be a part of this," Young said. "Being from Norman and playing there, this is exciting times and I'm looking forward to being in this new role."
As a Norman native, he played at Norman North high school where he averaged 42 points per game his senior year.
Young spent one year at OU before declaring for the 2018 NBA Draft, where he was the fifth-overall pick.
Young has kept his Norman ties alive by staying engaged with the city and the university. He opened the Young Family Athletic Center for youth sports tournaments in Norman.
During the women's basketball NCAA tournament run, Young donated money for fans in the community to be able to attend for free. Now as an assistant general manager for the men's program, his involvement runs deeper than ever.
"This program has such a rich history, which I am fortunate to have been and continue to be a part of," Young said. "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."
The Sooners recently completed their season with a trip to the first round of the NCAA tournament, which was their first time playing in the tournament in three years and the first time the team has made it in under head coach Porter Moser.
"First, just a huge 'thank you' to Trae for the $1 million gift to our program," Moser said on Monday. "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," Moser said. "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."
