Trae Young is the latest NBA star to join the college sports arms race.
Oklahoma said Monday that the Atlanta Hawks star would be their men’s basketball assistant GM. Young played there in the 2017-18 season before heading to the NBA.
Young will also donate $1 million to “support the championship efforts” of the team, the school said.
Young is at least the third NBA star—following Steph Curry and James Harden—who has used his wealth and influence to become a major factor in his school’s drive to pay players.
“As someone who grew up in Norman and played at the University of Oklahoma, stepping into the role of assistant GM for OU Basketball is a huge honor,”Young said in a statement. “This program has such a rich history, which I am fortunate to have been and continue to be a part of. 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.”
Young played just one season at Oklahoma after growing up in Norman, just a few miles from campus. He led Division I in scoring and assists his freshman season before declaring for the draft. Since turning pro he has remained an active member of the Sooners’ community, working out with the team in the offseason and opening a youth basketball center in Norman that’s off-campus.
The announcement comes just weeks before the House v. NCAA settlement is expected to be finalized in court which would allow colleges to directly pay their athletes. The $20.5 million revenue sharing cap has led to a rush for cash among schools that want to remain competitive in football or men’s basketball.
Young, who has made $146 million in his career, is in the middle of a five-year $215 million extension, giving him the money to boost the program at a school known for football and softball.
Most NBA stars aren’t interested in dealing with NIL (name, image, and likeness) payments, but Young has some company.
Young’s new gig is a similar approach to the one Curry is taking. The Warriors superstar teamed with a family of wealthy alums to start an “eight-figure fund” to pay the Wildcats’ men’s and women’s basketball players. While Harden has no official title with Arizona State, he is very active with the school’s Sun Angel collective and gave them a high six-figure donation for the basketball roster, as Front Office Sports reported.
