Trae Young named assistant general manager of OU men's basketball

One of the things Trae Young used to say all the time during his time in Norman. He was going to be about giving back. If he ever had a chance to make a splash for Norman or for OU, he was going to do that.

Now is that time. Young announced Monday afternoon he is going to be the assistant general manager for the men’s program. He also announced he is donating $1 million to the university.

“I’m excited to announce that I’m accepting a role with OU basketball in being an assistant GM, as well as making a million dollar donation, to help kick start this whole thing,” Young said. “So it’s exciting to be a part of this, and being from Norman and playing there, obviously it’s exciting times. And I’m looking forward to being in this new role.”

Young has always wanted to do more for the OU program. The door opened when Young became a part of the Jordan Brand back in November. Natural partnerships were assumed and now it’s all starting to come together.

“I think, obviously, today the game has changed, and with NIL in college basketball, the way it’s changed, it’s, I think, a perfect time for guys to be more involved with the schools that made them who they were, or help just kind of push them to be who they were,” Young said.

Young, a five-star phenom at Norman (Okla.) North, translated those same skills for his one season with the Sooners. He was sensational in helping lead OU to the NCAA Tournament.

When OU played at Georgia in January, Young let the team use his personal bus because of the bad weather. Young attended the game in Athens with his son.

Young has proudly represented the state of Oklahoma, and OU, specifically. Now? He can do that even more and on an even bigger stage.

“To be able to represent even more, it’s even more special,” Young said.

Young was the fifth pick of the 2018 NBA Draft. He has been a star for the Atlanta Hawks, now a four-time all-star. Now he’s hoping to use that brand to help head coach Porter Moser build an even bigger winner in Norman.

“This is a really big day and incredibly exciting,” said Moser in a press release. “First, just a huge thank-you to Trae for the $1 million gift to our program. 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. 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. But I can tell you that Trae also pays close attention to the national basketball landscape and is dialed in to all levels of the sport. His knowledge, coupled with his desire for our program to be the best it can be, will absolutely move us forward.”

He said it…

“Trae is a son of Norman, Oklahoma, and he’s given so much to our city and its people. He has a strong affinity for this place and his commitment to ensuring our community is a thriving one is truly unmatched. He’s also an OU legend who, in his time here and since, continues to achieve excellence both on and off the court. With this appointment, we’re taking his commitment to Norman and to OU to the next level, dedicating our mutual support together to the success of our men’s basketball program.

“His mind is made for this game, and we’re incredibly fortunate he’s in our corner wanting to put his talents and innovative thinking toward strengthening our program. On top of that, his continued financial generosity buoys our efforts in ways few other schools can enjoy. Even as he’s thriving in the NBA, he never forgets his roots. We couldn’t be more appreciative of him as well as excited to work together in helping our program flourish in this new era of college athletics.” — OU athletic director Joe Castiglione