Newly-appointed GM Shaquille O'Neal unites with NBA vet Mike Bibby at the helm of Sacramento State

Sacramento State has intensified its bid to top the Big Sky Conference next season and possibly make the 2026 NCAA Tournament, naming former LSU star and four-time NBA champion Shaquille O'Neal as the program's general manager.

O'Neal is the second high-profile — and the biggest — name to be included in the Hornets' men's basketball team in its bid to improve its last-place finishes in the Big Sky Conference in the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons. On March 24, they hired former Sacramento Kings star playmaker Mike Bibby as their coach for the 2025-26 season.

The 2000 NBA Most Valuable Player's role as Sacramento State GM will be voluntary and unpaid (per ESPN's Shams Charania). More importantly, he'll have a first-hand look into the development of his son, Shaqir, who transferred from Florida A&M in late March to join the Hornets.

University president and alumnus Luke Wood has been aggressive in his approach to improving Sacramento State's athletic programs, especially its men's basketball squad. Part of Wood's aggressive approach with Sacramento State's athletic programs is the opening of a new basketball facility on campus this fall.

The Hornets finished last in the Big Sky Conference for the second consecutive year with a 7-25 record in the 2024-25 season.

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Shaquille O'Neal follows current NBA stars Steph Curry, Trae Young in accepting a major post with a school

Shaquille O'Neal was the latest athlete to accept a general manager role with a school. He followed Golden State guard Steph Curry and Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young, who have accepted assistant GM roles with their alma mater.

Sacramento State has never made the NCAA tournament since moving to Division I in 1991. The Hornets only posted a winning record twice since then, going 16-14 in 2019-20 and 21-12 in 2014-15.

Sacramento State hopes O'Neal and new coach Mike Bibby will be the key for the Hornets' sudden turnaround in the 2025-26 season.

Four players are on the team's roster this season. They are Jeremiah Cherry, Taj Glover, Mark Lavrenov and Shaqir O'Neal. Sacramento State is looking for more players to complete the 2025-26 roster who will take part in the Big Sky Conference.

Cherry is an incoming senior from UNLV and played 33 games for the Rebels last season. He averaged 9.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 23.8 minutes per game. Glover is a transfer freshman from South Florida and will redshirt the 2025-26 season with Sacramento State.

Lavrenov is a 6-foot-8 freshman out of Rocklin High School in California, while Shaqir O'Neal is an incoming senior who played 27 games for Florida A&M last season. He averaged 6.7 points and 3.2 rebounds on 50% shooting from the field and 41% from the 3-point line.