Report: Shaquille O’Neal joining son’s basketball program in new role

Shaquille O’Neal is going back to college.

The four-time NBA champion agreed to become the general manager of Sacramento State’s men’s basketball team, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. O’Neal’s son, Shaqir O’Neal, will play at the college after he transferred from Florida A&M.

The role is voluntary for O’Neal and will give him an opportunity to work closely with his son.

O’Neal will join first-year head coach Mike Bibby — a 14-year NBA veteran — as they look to help lead the Hornets to their first ever NCAA tournament appearance. Sacramento went 7-25 last season under interim coach Michael Czepil.

O’Neal, an NBA studio analyst for TNT, is just the latest high-profile athlete to join a college front office to help recruit talent. Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry was named Davidson’s assistant general manager, while former NFL quarterback Andrew Luck joined Stanford’s football program’s front office last season.

Former ESPN insider Adrian Wojnarowski left the network in September to become the GM of the St. Bonaventure football program.

Now with O’Neal in the fold, Sacramento will look to have its first winning season since 2014-15 when the team went 21-12.

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