Basketball Operations
Coaching Staff
Sam Presti | Executive Vice President & General Manager
Sam Presti recently completed his fifth season with the Oklahoma City Thunder after being named the 11th General Manager in club history on June 7, 2007. A year into his tenure with the Thunder, Presti was promoted to Executive Vice President and General Manager by Professional Basketball Club Chairman, Clayton Bennett.
During his five seasons with the Thunder, Presti has worked diligently to assemble the building blocks for long-term success both on and off the court.
This past season, Presti and his staff oversaw the Thunder’s 47-win season (.712) as Oklahoma City claimed a second consecutive Northwest Division Championship and reached the NBA Finals. This occurred on the heels of the 2010-11 season, when the Thunder become the youngest team in the last quarter century to reach the NBA’s Western Conference Finals.
During the 2009-10 season, Presti’s third year at the helm, Oklahoma City experienced one of the largest turnarounds in NBA history. A year after winning 23 games, the Thunder concluded the 2009-10 season with a 50-32 record (.610) and captured the franchise’s first playoff berth in Oklahoma City. The 27-win improvement was tied for the eighth largest improvement in NBA history. Presti was named NBA Executive of the Year by The Sporting News at the conclusion of the season.
Presti’s consistent focus has been to utilize the NBA Draft to establish the foundation for sustained success on the floor and in the community. Commencing with the 2007 draft, Presti selected Kevin Durant, the University of Texas standout with the team’s No. 2 overall pick. Since then, Durant has blossomed into one of the premiere players in the NBA. This past season, Durant became just the seventh player in NBA history to lead the league in scoring for three consecutive seasons.
Presti went on to select UCLA guard Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka with the 4th and 24th selections in the 2008 draft.
Since moving to Oklahoma City in July of 2008, Presti has stressed the importance of community involvement for both Thunder players and staff. Under his leadership, the Thunder players have made more than 920 community appearances in and around Oklahoma City.
Presti has been on the NBA’s Instant Replay Committee since 2009, and this past season was selected as one of four NBA general managers to serve on the newly reconstituted Competition Committee.
Prior to joining the Thunder, the 35-year-old Presti held a variety of roles with the San Antonio Spurs. After starting in 2000 as a video intern for Gregg Popovich, in 2005 Presti was promoted to the role of vice president and assistant general manager and held that role until 2007. As a member of the Spurs, Presti was part of NBA Championship teams in 2003, 2005, and 2007, as well as five division titles.
Presti earned his bachelor’s degree in 2000 in communications, politics and law from Emerson College in Boston, where he was the first Rhodes Scholar nominee in school history. The Concord, Mass., native served as team captain of the Emerson College basketball team during both his junior and senior seasons. In addition, Presti earned All-Academic honors two times and was twice selected to the Great Northeast Athletic Conference All-Tournament team. He was honored with the Emerson College Young Alumnus Award in 2005.
Presti currently resides on the board of the Oklahoma City National Memorial and with the support of the Thunder has established the Forward Thinking Leadership Development Program within the Oklahoma City public schools.
Additionally, Presti is actively involved with PeacePlayers International (PPI), a global outreach program focused on bringing children and communities together through the game of basketball. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Shooting Touch, an organization that grants graduating college seniors the opportunity to travel the world and use the platform of basketball to help foster education and influence positive social change in third world global communities.
An accomplished drummer, Presti has produced three music CDs with all proceeds benefiting the Extra Ordinary Needs Fund at Children’s Hospital in Boston. In addition, Presti established the Keenan Smith-Anthony Halls Scholarship Fund at his former high school, Concord-Carlisle, to assist students with their college tuition.
This past summer, Presti married the former Shannon O’Connor. Shannon serves as the Director of Teen Leadership Initiatives with the YMCA of Greater Oklahoma City.
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Troy Weaver | Vice President/Assistant General Manager
Troy Weaver begins his fifth season with Oklahoma City and his third as the team’s VP/Assistant General Manager. Weaver joined the Thunder in May of 2008 and assists General Manager Sam Presti with roster development and day-to-day basketball operations. In addition, he coordinates the team’s player personnel matters including NBA Draft preparation, player free agency and summer league roster.
Weaver held the position of director of player personnel for the Utah Jazz in 2007-08. He spent three seasons (2004-07) as head scout for the Jazz before his promotion to Director of Player Personnel.
Prior to joining the Jazz, Weaver was an assistant coach at Syracuse University for four seasons (2000-04). The Orangemen won the 2003 NCAA National Championship led by Weaver recruit Carmelo Anthony. In addition to his experience at Syracuse, Weaver spent time as an assistant coach at New Mexico (1999-2000) and Pittsburgh (1996-99).
Prior to his collegiate coaching days, Weaver amassed an 85-17 record as an AAU coach in Washington, D.C. He guided the DC Assault to the 1996 AAU Tournament of Champions.
Weaver graduated with an associate’s degree from Prince George’s Community College (MD) in 1991, where he also played one season of basketball.
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Michael Winger | Assistant General Manager/Legal and Administration
Michael Winger begins his third season with the Oklahoma City Thunder, having joined the team in July 2010. In Winger’s current capacity, he is chiefly responsible for strategic and process development, salary cap planning and management, Collective Bargaining Agreement interpretation and application, contract and trade negotiation and preparation, and basketball operations legal and administration systems and analysis.
Prior to joining the Thunder, Winger spent five seasons in the front office with the Cleveland Cavaliers in a variety of positions, beginning as its Basketball Operations Coordinator, and ultimately becoming its Director of Basketball Operations and Team Counsel. Winger’s role in Cleveland was expansive, and included instituting organizational processes and working closely with Cavaliers’ management and ownership on all team matters.
He joined the Cavaliers in July of 2005 after spending two years working for renowned sports agent and attorney, Ron Shapiro in Baltimore, Maryland.
Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Winger is a graduate of Miami University (OH), and earned his J.D. from The University of Toledo College of Law. He also attended the University of Maryland School of Law during his time in Baltimore.
Winger is a licensed attorney and has focused primarily within the area of sports management.
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Director of Medical Services: Dr. Donnie Strack
Head Athletic Trainer: Joe Sharpe
Director of Athletic Performance: Dwight Daub
Applied Sport Scientist: Mark Simpson
Head Team Primary Care Physician: Daniel Clinkenbeard
Head Team Orthopedic Physician: Carlan Yates
Medical Research Coordinator:Tony Katzenmeir
SCOUTING
Director of College Player Personnel: Will Dawkins
Manager of Advance Scouting/Player Development: Vin Bhavnani
Opposition Scout: Scott Simpson
Coordinator of International Scouting/Amateur: Massimo Biasin
Coordinator of International Scouting/Pro: Johnny Rogers
Pro Scout: Mike Wilks
College Scout: Jim Thomas
College Scout: Brandon Miller
Special Assignment Scout: Hank Smith
BASKETBALL OPERATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY
Director of Basketball Operations: Paul Rivers
Director of Strategic Planning: Jason Ranne
Basketball Information Coordinator: Jesse Weinstein-Gould
Basketball Operations Coordinator/Legal and Administration: Amanda Green
Application Developer: Troy Carter
Basketball Data Analyst: Wynn Sullivan
VIDEO COACHING
Video Analyst/Player Development: Dave Bliss, Josh Longstaff
Video Analyst/Personnel: Sebastian Pruiti
TEAM OPERATIONS
Director of Team Operations: Marc St. Yves
Manager of Team Operations: Wilson Taylor
Director of Team Security: Michael Chatman
Director of Player Appearances and Services: Ayana Lawson
BASKETBALL COMMUNICATIONS
Director of Basketball Communications: Matt Tumbleson
Manager of Basketball Communications: Michael Ravina
Manager of Basketball Communications: John Read
ADMINISTRATION
Team Travel Coordinator: Judy Riddle
Assistant to the Executive Vice President & General Manager: Glenn Wong
Basketball Operations Assistant: Ryan Lambert
Assistant to Basketball Operations: Julie Hanneman
FACILITIES
Facility Operations Manager: Johnny Shults
MINOR LEAGUE OPERATIONS
Director of Minor League Operations/Pro Scout: Brandon Barnett
Head Coach: Darko Rajakovic
Minor League Athletic Performance Coordinator: Kurtis Rayfield
Minor League Athletic Trainer: Sebastien Poirier
Manager of Public Relations: Ben Coldagelli
Sam Presti recently completed his fifth season with the Oklahoma City Thunder after being named the 11th General Manager in club history on June 7, 2007. A year into his tenure with the Thunder, Presti was promoted to Executive Vice President and General Manager by Professional Basketball Club Chairman, Clayton Bennett.
During his five seasons with the Thunder, Presti has worked diligently to assemble the building blocks for long-term success both on and off the court.
This past season, Presti and his staff oversaw the Thunder’s 47-win season (.712) as Oklahoma City claimed a second consecutive Northwest Division Championship and reached the NBA Finals. This occurred on the heels of the 2010-11 season, when the Thunder become the youngest team in the last quarter century to reach the NBA’s Western Conference Finals.
During the 2009-10 season, Presti’s third year at the helm, Oklahoma City experienced one of the largest turnarounds in NBA history. A year after winning 23 games, the Thunder concluded the 2009-10 season with a 50-32 record (.610) and captured the franchise’s first playoff berth in Oklahoma City. The 27-win improvement was tied for the eighth largest improvement in NBA history. Presti was named NBA Executive of the Year by The Sporting News at the conclusion of the season.
Presti’s consistent focus has been to utilize the NBA Draft to establish the foundation for sustained success on the floor and in the community. Commencing with the 2007 draft, Presti selected Kevin Durant, the University of Texas standout with the team’s No. 2 overall pick. Since then, Durant has blossomed into one of the premiere players in the NBA. This past season, Durant became just the seventh player in NBA history to lead the league in scoring for three consecutive seasons.
Presti went on to select UCLA guard Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka with the 4th and 24th selections in the 2008 draft.
Since moving to Oklahoma City in July of 2008, Presti has stressed the importance of community involvement for both Thunder players and staff. Under his leadership, the Thunder players have made more than 920 community appearances in and around Oklahoma City.
Presti has been on the NBA’s Instant Replay Committee since 2009, and this past season was selected as one of four NBA general managers to serve on the newly reconstituted Competition Committee.
Prior to joining the Thunder, the 35-year-old Presti held a variety of roles with the San Antonio Spurs. After starting in 2000 as a video intern for Gregg Popovich, in 2005 Presti was promoted to the role of vice president and assistant general manager and held that role until 2007. As a member of the Spurs, Presti was part of NBA Championship teams in 2003, 2005, and 2007, as well as five division titles.
Presti earned his bachelor’s degree in 2000 in communications, politics and law from Emerson College in Boston, where he was the first Rhodes Scholar nominee in school history. The Concord, Mass., native served as team captain of the Emerson College basketball team during both his junior and senior seasons. In addition, Presti earned All-Academic honors two times and was twice selected to the Great Northeast Athletic Conference All-Tournament team. He was honored with the Emerson College Young Alumnus Award in 2005.
Presti currently resides on the board of the Oklahoma City National Memorial and with the support of the Thunder has established the Forward Thinking Leadership Development Program within the Oklahoma City public schools.
Additionally, Presti is actively involved with PeacePlayers International (PPI), a global outreach program focused on bringing children and communities together through the game of basketball. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Shooting Touch, an organization that grants graduating college seniors the opportunity to travel the world and use the platform of basketball to help foster education and influence positive social change in third world global communities.
An accomplished drummer, Presti has produced three music CDs with all proceeds benefiting the Extra Ordinary Needs Fund at Children’s Hospital in Boston. In addition, Presti established the Keenan Smith-Anthony Halls Scholarship Fund at his former high school, Concord-Carlisle, to assist students with their college tuition.
This past summer, Presti married the former Shannon O’Connor. Shannon serves as the Director of Teen Leadership Initiatives with the YMCA of Greater Oklahoma City.
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Troy Weaver | Vice President/Assistant General Manager
Troy Weaver begins his fifth season with Oklahoma City and his third as the team’s VP/Assistant General Manager. Weaver joined the Thunder in May of 2008 and assists General Manager Sam Presti with roster development and day-to-day basketball operations. In addition, he coordinates the team’s player personnel matters including NBA Draft preparation, player free agency and summer league roster.
Weaver held the position of director of player personnel for the Utah Jazz in 2007-08. He spent three seasons (2004-07) as head scout for the Jazz before his promotion to Director of Player Personnel.
Prior to joining the Jazz, Weaver was an assistant coach at Syracuse University for four seasons (2000-04). The Orangemen won the 2003 NCAA National Championship led by Weaver recruit Carmelo Anthony. In addition to his experience at Syracuse, Weaver spent time as an assistant coach at New Mexico (1999-2000) and Pittsburgh (1996-99).
Prior to his collegiate coaching days, Weaver amassed an 85-17 record as an AAU coach in Washington, D.C. He guided the DC Assault to the 1996 AAU Tournament of Champions.
Weaver graduated with an associate’s degree from Prince George’s Community College (MD) in 1991, where he also played one season of basketball.
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Michael Winger | Assistant General Manager/Legal and Administration
Michael Winger begins his third season with the Oklahoma City Thunder, having joined the team in July 2010. In Winger’s current capacity, he is chiefly responsible for strategic and process development, salary cap planning and management, Collective Bargaining Agreement interpretation and application, contract and trade negotiation and preparation, and basketball operations legal and administration systems and analysis.
Prior to joining the Thunder, Winger spent five seasons in the front office with the Cleveland Cavaliers in a variety of positions, beginning as its Basketball Operations Coordinator, and ultimately becoming its Director of Basketball Operations and Team Counsel. Winger’s role in Cleveland was expansive, and included instituting organizational processes and working closely with Cavaliers’ management and ownership on all team matters.
He joined the Cavaliers in July of 2005 after spending two years working for renowned sports agent and attorney, Ron Shapiro in Baltimore, Maryland.
Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Winger is a graduate of Miami University (OH), and earned his J.D. from The University of Toledo College of Law. He also attended the University of Maryland School of Law during his time in Baltimore.
Winger is a licensed attorney and has focused primarily within the area of sports management.
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Director of Medical Services: Dr. Donnie Strack
Head Athletic Trainer: Joe Sharpe
Director of Athletic Performance: Dwight Daub
Applied Sport Scientist: Mark Simpson
Head Team Primary Care Physician: Daniel Clinkenbeard
Head Team Orthopedic Physician: Carlan Yates
Medical Research Coordinator:Tony Katzenmeir
SCOUTING
Director of College Player Personnel: Will Dawkins
Manager of Advance Scouting/Player Development: Vin Bhavnani
Opposition Scout: Scott Simpson
Coordinator of International Scouting/Amateur: Massimo Biasin
Coordinator of International Scouting/Pro: Johnny Rogers
Pro Scout: Mike Wilks
College Scout: Jim Thomas
College Scout: Brandon Miller
Special Assignment Scout: Hank Smith
BASKETBALL OPERATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY
Director of Basketball Operations: Paul Rivers
Director of Strategic Planning: Jason Ranne
Basketball Information Coordinator: Jesse Weinstein-Gould
Basketball Operations Coordinator/Legal and Administration: Amanda Green
Application Developer: Troy Carter
Basketball Data Analyst: Wynn Sullivan
VIDEO COACHING
Video Analyst/Player Development: Dave Bliss, Josh Longstaff
Video Analyst/Personnel: Sebastian Pruiti
TEAM OPERATIONS
Director of Team Operations: Marc St. Yves
Manager of Team Operations: Wilson Taylor
Director of Team Security: Michael Chatman
Director of Player Appearances and Services: Ayana Lawson
BASKETBALL COMMUNICATIONS
Director of Basketball Communications: Matt Tumbleson
Manager of Basketball Communications: Michael Ravina
Manager of Basketball Communications: John Read
ADMINISTRATION
Team Travel Coordinator: Judy Riddle
Assistant to the Executive Vice President & General Manager: Glenn Wong
Basketball Operations Assistant: Ryan Lambert
Assistant to Basketball Operations: Julie Hanneman
FACILITIES
Facility Operations Manager: Johnny Shults
MINOR LEAGUE OPERATIONS
Director of Minor League Operations/Pro Scout: Brandon Barnett
Head Coach: Darko Rajakovic
Minor League Athletic Performance Coordinator: Kurtis Rayfield
Minor League Athletic Trainer: Sebastien Poirier
Manager of Public Relations: Ben Coldagelli
