Damian Lillard and All the NBA Players Taking College GM Roles

Damian Lillard signed a three-year, $42 million deal last month to return to the Trail Blazers, where he began his NBA career. The All-Star guard will also be returning to Weber State after he was named  men’s basketball GM on Saturday, joining a growing list of NBA stars to take on roles with their alma maters. 

Lillard will work with the coaching staff and athletic department as an advisor and mentor to the program, which hasn’t been to the NCAA Tournament since 2016. It’s unclear whether he will function more as an ambassador to the program or as a benefactor to Weber State’s NIL (name, image, and likeness) funds, as some NBA players have done.

“I believe in what this program represents and the culture that continues to grow at Weber State.” Lillard said in a release. “The support of our community is vital to the program’s success, and I am committed to playing a greater role in that effort. This opportunity allows me to be even more involved in shaping the future of Weber State basketball.”

Lillard’s new role has been months in the making. When asked by Front Office Sports in February if he was helping the Wildcats with NIL money or insight the way some of his peers were, he replied, “We’re working on it.” 

Lillard certainly has the money to help bankroll the mid-major program, which plays in the Big Sky conference. He has $328 million in career earnings, according to Spotrac, and a fraction of a percent could go a long way for the school. A WSU spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Lillard’s possible involvement with NIL. 

Lillard is also set to make roughly $70 million this season despite being injured, which will push his career earnings toward $400 million. He will be paid by both the Bucks and Blazers after he was waived by Milwaukee with $113 million left on his deal. He signed a three-year deal shortly after to return to Portland for $14 million annually. 

The scope of the GM or assistant GM role varies depending on the player.

Nets guard Terance Mann, the assistant GM at Florida State, previously told FOS he would donate to NIL in his new role, but wouldn’t receive a salary for his work, as he is not a university employee. He described his job as “recruiting, keeping the alumni close, and help with decision-making on the money aspect of things.”

Mann is part of the Seminoles coaches group text and has watched film on possible roster additions to help the staff evaluate talent. 

“I’m just trying to see how they can help us win,” Mann said of his scouting efforts. “[FSU coach] Luke Loucks kind of wants to play a pro-style game similar to the NBA. So I feel like I got a good feel on where guys can fit those roles.” 

Trae Young’s assistant GM role at Oklahoma also came with an NIL donation, to the tune of $1 million. The Hawks guard has called recruits to pitch them on coming to the school and said he’s a university employee, but hasn’t said whether or not he’s getting paid. 

Stephen Curry put Davidson on the map when he led a Cinderella run to the Elite Eight in 2008. In March, he became the Wildcats assistant GM and pledged an eight-figure donation to help the athletic department handle revenue-sharing in the post-House v. NCAA era. (Curry has $410 million in career earnings, according to Spotrac.)

Meanwhile, James Harden gave Arizona State a large six-figure donation for NIL, but he doesn’t even have an official title with the Sun Devils. And this spring, UCLA coach Mick Cronin has said he’d love an alum such as Russell Westbrook—who has already donated to the program—to have a GM role with the Bruins: “If Russ wants to give a million dollars and call recruits for me, absolutely.”

The trend has yet to translate to football, however. In April, Eastern Michigan named Raiders defensive lineman Maxx Crosby was named the school’s assistant GM, making him the first NFL player to hold the title.