The case for IU basketball to hire a GM — and five candidates to consider
Success in college basketball requires more than just great coaching. As the game evolves, Indiana must adapt by adding a general manager to navigate roster building, NIL, player contracts, and more.
As major college basketball continues to grow and evolve, programs have more resources than ever, leading to larger staffs that increasingly resemble those of NBA teams.
Today’s college basketball staffs often include a player development coach, a director of scouting and recruiting, and a dedicated graphics specialist to assist with recruiting and digital media.
With the rise of NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) and the impending reality of players receiving a share of revenue, one position has become even more critical: general manager.
Indiana University should seriously consider hiring a GM to work alongside new head coach Darian DeVries, who was introduced as the 31st head coach in program history just one week ago.
At West Virginia University last season, DeVries assembled a sizable staff that helped turn the program around, improving from a 9-23 record to 19-13 in just one year. His staff included:
Associate head coach
Three assistant coaches
Director of player development
Director of player personnel/recruiting
Video coordinator
It appears IU and DeVries are interested in establishing a GM role, though they are still in the information-gathering phase. DeVries told the IndyStar on Wednesday:
"We are looking into that like everybody in college sports. Everybody is trying to figure out how to best utilize that position. It's becoming more and more common, but what does that job description really look like? What's their role for us? And how do we want to best utilize that position?"
The CEO Model of Coaching
During DeVries’ introductory press conference, IU President Pamela Whitten emphasized three key criteria that guided the school’s search for its next basketball coach:
Being a great coach
Knowing how to win
Demonstrating the ability to be a CEO of a basketball program
Athletic director Scott Dolson — a former IU student manager under Bob Knight (1984-88) — then added on to that, highlighting the qualities he sought in their next head coach.
“We wanted an experienced, successful coach that had a blueprint for winning,” Dolson said. “We wanted to make certain that we had someone that really understands and really equally importantly has embraced modern roster construction. That's huge.
“A proven evaluator and developer of players. We wanted to make certain that we had a modern playing style. We have to have a head coach that understands where things are going.”
See, IU didn’t just hire a coach — they hired someone to run a successful program. And it starts with DeVries. There’s so much on the desk of coaches before they even get to X’s and O’s or watching film.
In the NBA, a president or GM hires the head coach. By hiring DeVries first, however, IU made it clear that this is his team and the GM position would report to him.
The Growing Trend of GMs in College Basketball
In recent months, more college programs have begun hiring general managers.
Adrian Wojnarowski left his role as the top newsbreaker in the NBA to take on the GM role at his alma mater, St. Bonaventure. A few weeks ago, he posted photos on Instagram scouting players overseas — a task head coaches cannot perform during the season.
Former Colts quarterback Andrew Luck assumed a similar role for Stanford football.
The University of North Carolina hired veteran agent Jim Tanner, who previously represented Hall of Famer Tamika Catchings and many others. This move came months after UNC brought in Bill Belichick and allowed him to bring his longtime GM, Michael Lombardi, to oversee the football program.
Davidson College named alum Steph Curry an assistant GM. While largely ceremonial, it highlights the evolving nature of college sports.
Remy Cofield, formerly the Boston Celtics’ director of scouting, left the reigning champions to become the GM for John Calipari’s Arkansas program, which reached the Sweet 16 in Calipari’s first year.
Most recently, former Hawks GM Wes Wilcox left his post as Sacramento Kings assistant GM to become the GM for the University of Utah men’s basketball team.
IU previously experimented with this type of role in 2021 when it hired Thad Matta as associate athletic director of basketball administration under Mike Woodson. Matta’s base salary was $400,000, providing a benchmark for the potential cost of a GM at IU. He departed after one season to become head coach at Butler University.
Why a GM Matters
The ideal GM should be a versatile individual with strong people skills, solid relationships with agents, expertise in player evaluation, and experience in contract negotiation.
Whitten emphasized the need for a CEO-like approach, recognizing that while head coaches must wear many hats, they cannot do everything alone.
A GM would:
Scout high school players and those in the transfer portal.
Recruit internationally — an essential component as about 30% of the NBA is made up of international players, including the last three MVPs: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokić, and Joel Embiid. This year’s MVP race is between Jokić and Canadian Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Assist in negotiations to sign players, ensuring IU doesn’t overpay or misjudge market value.
Assist current players with NIL contracts.
Leverage key relationships in the basketball ecosystem — players, coaches, and agents, etc. — to gather valuable intel.
Communicate with agents, who are becoming increasingly important in college basketball due to the high volume of player movement. More than 1,000 players entered the transfer portal in the first 48 hours.
“There's a lot of people that are underneath that head coach, from assistant coaches to ops people to managers to the players to support staff; all very critical parts of your success,” DeVries said. “… We all have the same goals, and how do we make everybody's path align with that?”
In an ideal scenario, DeVries envisions IU building its roster primarily through high school recruiting while supplementing with key additions from the transfer portal.
“I think the biggest thing, and where you can get yourself in trouble, is you're not building a collection of players,” DeVries added. “You have to build a team, and a team has to be able to fit together, play together, win together, be able to function together.”
Potential Candidates for IU’s GM Role
Now that the importance of this position is clear, here are five names IU should consider for the role. Notably, all but one were student managers — just like Dolson.
Additionally, IU could tap into its network of alumni agents, including Dave Spahn (‘14), Jordan Gertler (‘11), Max Lipsett (‘14), and Jared Mucha (‘15). Plus, former NBA scout Jason Buckner (‘03).
Ryan Carr
Currently: Senior Vice President of Player Personnel, Indiana Pacers
Graduated in 1996; former manager
Carr is hardworking and loyal, nearing 25 years with the Pacers. He started in the video room before moving into player evaluation. Now, he oversees more than 10 scouts and runs the draft process.
He loved his time at IU, still follows the program closely, and has strong relationships with agents. He’s responsible for organizing pre-draft workout visits, building the summer league roster, and helping to finalize the Pacers’ roster, including the three two-way spots.
Peter Dinwiddie
Currently: Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations, Philadelphia 76ers
Graduated in 1999
Dinwiddie is a proud Indiana native with deep ties to the state. After attending IU, he earned his law degree and was so determined to work in sports that he took an entry-level ticket sales position with the Pacers just to get his foot in the door. Executive Donnie Walsh, who also holds a law degree, found out and Dinwiddie quickly proved his talent in tasks assigned to him. He was later promoted to the front office.
Since 2020, he has been an executive with the Philadelphia 76ers. In addition to being the go-to expert for the Collective Bargaining Agreement and player contracts, he’s involved in player evaluations and scouting draft prospects both domestically and internationally. Well-respected by both agents and basketball executives, he has become a key figure in the organization.
George David
Currently: Senior Vice President of Basketball Administration, Detroit Pistons
Graduated in 1996; former manager
David returned to the Pistons' front office in 2021 after spending 18 seasons with the team previously. He’s worn almost every hat — from video coordinator to director of scouting and assistant general manager — before leaving to work for an agency, which is incredibly valuable experience.
David was part of the 2004 championship team and helped the Pistons return to the finals the following year. From 2002 to 2008, they reached the conference finals in all six seasons. After a coaching change to J.B. Bickerstaff, the Pistons went from 14 wins last season to 41 (and counting) this season.
Brendon Yu
Currently: Director of Scouting, Cleveland Cavaliers
Graduated in 2014; former manager
Like Dinwiddie, Yu is an Indianapolis native. He’s worked for the Cavaliers since graduation, rising through the ranks — from intern to director of G League Operations. From 2021 to 2023, he served as the GM of their G League affiliate, a role that required him to have his hands in every aspect of the operation. Under his leadership, the Charge posted a 30-20 record in 2023, securing a spot in the NBA G League Playoffs for the first time since 2017.
Now, in his scouting role, he has to be aware and have an opinion of players at all levels. Learning from Koby Altman and Mike Gansey has been invaluable. The Cavaliers currently have the most wins in the Eastern Conference and have a chance to record a 70-win season.
Lawrence Frank
Currently: President of Basketball Operations, LA Clippers
Graduated in 1992; former manager
Frank knows what it’s like to be a coach because he spent the majority of his career as one. He coached at both the college level and in the NBA. In 2016, he transitioned into the Clippers front office and was voted Executive of the Year by his peers in 2020. It’s hard to envision him moving on, but much like Brad Stevens for the coaching position, it doesn’t hurt to ask. And he’ll likely have valuable insights or contacts to share.
He’s done it all — from making big trades and hiring coaches to building new facilities, working closely with the medical team on player needs, and working with agents on player contracts. It was the Clippers who drafted Gilgeous-Alexander in 2018, and they made a bold move by acquiring Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.