OU basketball hiring former Clemson GM Lucas McKay to boost roster management, per report

NORMAN — It appears Oklahoma men’s basketball might have found its general manager. The Sooners are hiring Lucas McKay — who held the role of general manager at Clemson and worked under Tigers coach Brad Brownell for 13 of the past 16 seasons — to an unspecified role, according to a report from TigersIllustrated. com.

McKay was previously with Brownell at Wright State. McKay also spent two seasons as an assistant coach at UMKC from 2019-21. If he indeed fills the shoes of GM, McKay will be paired with assistant general manager Trae Young, the current Washington Wizards star, who was hired last May to lend support in “player personnel and strategic roster management planning.

” Clemson has made three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, including a run to the Elite Eight in 2024. “Candidly, we're not resourced at the level that we need to be resourced,” OU athletic director Roger Denny told The Oklahoman last month of the Sooners ’ basketball program. “We as an athletics department, have a long history of outperforming our resources, and in almost every sport that we have, but that only gets you so far, right?

” Denny knows the level of investment it takes to succeed in basketball. He previously served as Illinois’ deputy AD. The Fighting Illini reportedly spent $8 to $10 million on their men’s basketball roster this past season and are playing in the Final Four on Saturday.