O’Neal looks on before the game between the Celtics and Mavericks during the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden. / David Butler II-Imagn Images

NBA legend and current TNT analyst Shaquille O’Neal is joining coach Mike Bibby in an important role with Sacramento State’s basketball program. O’Neal has agreed to become the men’s basketball team’s general manager according to a report from ESPN’s Shams Charania.

Charania mentioned that O’Neal’s role with the Hornets will be voluntary. O’Neal’s son, Shaqir, committed to Sacramento State in March as a transfer from Florida A&M. Bibby was hired as Sacramento State’s coach a week before Shaqir became his first commit.

Shaquille O’Neal has agreed to become the men’s basketball general manager of Sacramento State, sources tell ESPN. It will be a voluntary role for Shaq, whose son, Shaqir O’Neal, also plays for Sac State under Mike Bibby. Shaq and Bibby form a star duo as college GM and coach. pic.twitter.com/3F2NQBbhf7

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 29, 2025

Sacramento State, which has invested aggressively in athletics in recent years, has never made the NCAA men’s tournament despite some long-ago success at lower levels. The Hornets went 7–25 in 2024–25 under interim coach Michael Czepil.

Now, they have another high-profile name to help shine light on the program and help bring in recruits, so the Hornets can establish themselves in the Division I ranks.

Shaq isn’t the first accomplished individual to take on the general manager role at a college program in the era of name, image and likeness (NIL). Former ESPN NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski went back to St. Bonaventure, his alma mater, to become the Bonnies’ GM. In football, Andrew Luck has assumed the same role for Stanford’s program.