Shaquille O’Neal will team up with former Kings star Mike Bibby after accepting a surprise new role.
NBA Hall of Famer O’Neal, 53, has kept busy in retirement as an analyst on TNT’s Inside the NBA.
However, the Lakers icon will be adding a bit more to his plate after accepting a voluntary role as the general manager of Sacramento State’s men’s basketball team, the Daily Mail can confirm.
The news was first reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Bibby, a 14-year NBA veteran, was hired as the program’s head coach last month.
The move will also see O’Neal work closely with his son, Shaqir, who plays for Sacramento State.
Shaquille O’Neal has accepted a voluntary role as GM of Sacramento State men’s basketball
Sacramento State are coached by former NBA star Mike Bibby, seen in 2020
Shaqir recently transferred to the school from Florida A&M.
The role of general manager has become prevalent in college sports’ new NIL landscape, with several current and former sports stars tapped for the job at other schools.
Former Colts quarterback Andrew Luck is serving as GM at his alma mater, Stanford, while current NBA stars Trae Young and Stephen Curry have recently been named assistant GM at Oklahoma and Davidson respectively.
O’Neal was a minority owner of the Kings from 2013 to 2022 but otherwise has not had front office experience.
Bibby, meanwhile, previously coached for Shadow Mountain High School and then Hillcrest Prep High School.
He and O’Neal will look to turn around a Sacramento State program which went 7-25 last season under now-former coach Michael Czepil.
