basketball operations

The Sacramento Kings announced today that Wes Wilcox, Phil Jabour and Paul Johnson have been added to the team's basketball operations group. Wilcox will serve as Assistant General Manager, Jabour as Vice President of Player Personnel and Johnson as Director of Basketball Operations and General Manager of the team’s G League affiliate, the Stockton Kings. Per team policy, terms of the agreements were not disclosed.

Wilcox will support General Manager Monte McNair in all facets of front office operations including roster construction, strategy and player evaluation. Jabour will be primarily responsible for overseeing the structure and processes of the scouting department. Johnson will lead Stockton’s front office and have a hand in multiple aspects of Kings basketball operations. These three executives join Chief Strategy Officer Joe Dumars, Assistant General Manager Ken Catanella, Vice President of Athlete Health and Performance Teena Murray and Vice President of Kings Academy and Professional Development Galen Duncan in rounding out McNair’s management team.

“I am excited to have Wes, Phil and Paul join the front office,” said McNair. “Wes’ background as an executive in the league combined with Phil’s veteran leadership through the scouting ranks and Paul’s proven experience in evaluating talent will be strong additions to the basketball operations group. Their diverse skill sets and unique perspectives will add valuable knowledge and innovative thinking as we focus on executing our vision of building a winning culture in Sacramento.”

Wilcox joins the Kings organization with nearly 20 years of experience in the NBA, including serving as General Manager (2015-17) and Assistant General Manager (2012-15) of the Atlanta Hawks. Prior to the Hawks, Wilcox was Director of Player Personnel for the Cleveland Cavaliers and the first General Manager of the Cavs’ NBA Development League team, the Canton Charge. He joined the Cavaliers in 2003 and held the roles of Advance Scout, College Scout, Pro Personnel Scout and Assistant Coach, prior to his promotion to Director of Player Personnel. Wilcox began his career in the NBA as an intern (2001-02) with the Miami Heat in their scouting and video department, before becoming a Video Coordinator with the New Orleans Hornets in 2002-03. He recently served as an Analyst for NBA TV and SiriusXM NBA Radio, is a 2001 graduate of Cal-State Fullerton and a native of La Habra, California.

Jabour comes to Sacramento’s front office with 14 years of experience in the league, most recently serving as Director of Scouting for the Philadelphia 76ers where he was heavily involved in day-to-day personnel operations, including talent evaluation, leading intel processes and collaborating with player agents. Prior to Philadelphia, Jabour was a Scout for the Orlando Magic (2012-14) and contributed to collegiate and professional prospect evaluation. Jabour made his NBA debut as Daryl Morey’s first scouting/personnel hire with the Houston Rockets in 2006. In his five years in Houston, he served in a variety of scouting roles including Director of Scouting with NBA G League’s Rio Grande Valley Vipers (2009-11). Jabour was hired by the Rockets after working as a support staff member with USA Basketball in 2006 following four years on staff with Arizona State men’s basketball program. He is an Arizona State University alum (2006) and earned a Master’s of International Business from the University of St. Thomas (2007).

Johnson joins the Kings basketball operations department with seven years of NBA experience, most recently serving as the Assistant General Manager of the NBA G League’s Oklahoma City Blue. Prior to that promotion, Johnson was a Pro Evaluation Coordinator after having worked in different capacities for the Oklahoma City Thunder since 2015. Before that, he served as a Referee Operations Analyst at the NBA league office (2013-15). Johnson played collegiately at La Salle University in the Atlantic 10 Conference, where he was team captain of the men’s basketball team and graduated in 2009.

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Kings Add 3 Executives to the McNair-Led Front Office

The Sacramento Kings announced today that Alvin Gentry has been named Associate Head Coach. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“I’m excited to add Alvin’s valuable experience and leadership to the team,” said Walton. “His veteran coaching perspective will be a great addition and I look forward to working with him again to continue developing our group.”

Gentry brings more than 35 years of coaching experience to the Sacramento bench. He most recently served as head coach of the New Orleans Pelicans, where he guided the team to 48 wins during the 2018-19 regular season – the third most in team history – and a trip to the NBA Playoffs, advancing to the Western Conference Semifinals for only the second time in franchise history.

Prior to New Orleans, Gentry was the Associate Head Coach of the Golden State Warriors, helping lead the team to the 2015 NBA Championship. Alvin has also previously served as head coach for the Miami Heat (1995), Detroit Pistons (1997-2000), Los Angeles Clippers (2000-2003) and Phoenix Suns (2008-2013). In 1,105 games, Gentry has garnered a career record of 510-595 (.462).

With Gentry at the helm of the Suns, he guided Phoenix to the 2010 Western Conference Finals following a 54-28 regular season record – the fourth best in Phoenix franchise history – and led the NBA in scoring with 110.2 points per game.

The Shelby, North Carolina native was a point guard at Appalachian State, where he earned a degree in management (1977) prior to his coaching career.

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Kings Name Alvin Gentry Associate Head Coach

A new chapter in Kings history has begun with Monte McNair taking the lead as the General Manager of Sacramento’s Basketball Operations.

In the announcement, Kings Owner and Chairman Vivek Ranadivé shared excitement for McNair’s vision, extensive experience and role for building winning teams in Houston.

“Monte is one of the NBA’s top basketball minds… it is my pleasure to welcome Monte and his family to Sacramento,” said Ranadivé.

After originally being hired as a developer and programmer for the Houston Rockets in 2007, McNair earned a promotion to become the Director of Basketball Operations in 2013 and then took another leap to Vice President of Basketball Operations just two years later.

“I was a computer science major, so I come more from the programming side; that's how I got my start,” said McNair to The Dream Shake in 2016. “ [Now], a lot focuses on the traditional front office side: draft, free agency. We also work on the coaching staff and the salary cap.”

Although this will be McNair’s first chance at leading a franchise, according to Kings Insider for NBC Sports James Ham, he is a “a well-respected executive who has worked at every level,” and “his ability to translate analytics into real-world solutions with the coaching staff makes him an intriguing add.”

Now stepping into his new role for the Kings, McNair will likely look to bring many of the philosophies and learnings that made his tenure in Houston so successful.

While with the Rockets, McNair worked closely with “one of the more progressive managers in the NBA” in Daryl Morey to help integrate analytics into the organization’s thought process and decision making.

McNair shared some of those insights while speaking at the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference in 2016. Specifically, on the challenge of integrating analytics into traditional coaching tactics and techniques.

The most notable example of this forward thinking was seen in the Rockets lineup this season. Houston took a radical approach by employing a small-ball lineup that completely eliminated the traditional center position.

“Organizationally, it helps to have that philosophy where it’s like ‘Hey, we’re going to try stuff until it works’ and you can look across other sports to see what they’ve done to innovate,” McNair stated at the most recent 2020 MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference.

McNair saw his efforts pay off quite a bit during his time in Houston. This included eight straight trips to the postseason and seven seasons of at least 50 wins.

Rockets GM Daryl Morey also spoke highly of McNair when the latter was promoted in 2018.

“Monte has been absolutely critical to the success of the Rockets over his long tenure,” Morey said.  “His unique combination of analytical skills and ability to work with our coaching staff was a key driver in our record breaking season [in 2017-18]."

With important offseason landmarks such as free agency and the 2020 NBA Draft rapidly approaching, the Kings will now have a permanent fixture in place to lead the charge.

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McNair Brings History of Innovation and Success to Sacramento

The Sacramento Kings announced today that the team has hired Monte McNair as General Manager. In this role, McNair will be responsible for all decisions made in the Kings basketball operations department and serve as the team’s top basketball executive reporting to the owner and chairman. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“Monte is one of the NBA’s top basketball minds who has played an instrumental role in building several winning teams in Houston,” said Kings Owner and Chairman Vivek Ranadivé. “I am excited to bring his extensive experience and vision onboard to lead our basketball operations department, and it is my pleasure to welcome Monte and his family to Sacramento.”

“I am thrilled to join the Kings organization and honored to shape the franchise’s bright future for the team’s loyal fans,” said McNair. “I would like to thank Vivek for this opportunity and look forward to becoming a part of the Sacramento community.”

A native of Oak Park, California, McNair returns to his home state from the Houston Rockets, where he has held the title of Assistant General Manager since 2018. Prior to that, McNair led the analytic efforts of the Rockets basketball operations department where he worked closely with Houston’s coaching staff to provide on-court strategy and analysis along with opponent preparation. 

During his time in Houston, the organization reached the NBA Playoffs over the course of eight consecutive seasons, including two trips to the Western Conference Finals, while amassing seven seasons with 50+ wins.

Over his 13 years with the Rockets, McNair was involved with all aspects of player evaluation, including trade, free agency and the Draft. He began his career in Houston as a Basketball Operations Senior Analyst in 2007, was promoted to Director of Basketball Operations in 2013 and became Vice President of Basketball Operations in 2016.

Before joining the Rockets, McNair worked as a sports programmer and researcher at STATS LLC. McNair played football at Princeton University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science. 

A virtual introductory press conference will be held at a later date.

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Kings Name Monte McNair General Manager

The Sacramento Kings announced today that Joe Dumars has been named Chief Strategy Officer. In this new role, he will continue to report to the owner and chairman, and help drive strategy across the organization’s entire portfolio of activities, including business, basketball, new ventures, entertainment and real estate. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“Joe’s business acumen along with his deep experience in the league will serve as a valuable resource across the organization,” said Kings Owner and Chairman Vivek Ranadivé. “He has achieved proven results in the corporate world on top of many notable accolades as a player and basketball executive, and I am excited to have him serve in this position.”

“I want to thank Vivek for this opportunity and look forward to supporting both sides of the business as we work together to build the successful future that this franchise and community deserves,” said Dumars.

In June 2019, Dumars joined the Kings as Special Advisor to the General Manager, most recently serving as Interim Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations.

He has over 30 years of NBA experience both as a player and front office executive in addition to an extensive executive business background. Prior to joining the Kings, Dumars served as president of the Basketball Division for Independent Sports &amp; Entertainment (ISE), a full-service sports agency representing more than 300 players from the NBA, NFL and MLB. Dumars was also the founder and CEO of automotive supply company Detroit Technologies Inc. for 10 years (1996-06), helping the company grow to more than $120 million in revenues. He is also the founder and owner of the Joe Dumars Fieldhouse, a multi-purpose, indoor sports complex and entertainment facility with two locations in Detroit.

The Hall of Fame guard served as president of basketball operations for the Detroit Pistons for 13 seasons (2000-14). In 2004, he became the first African American executive to lead an organization to an NBA title. He also guided the team to six straight Eastern Conference Finals appearances, two Eastern Conference Championships and was named NBA Executive of the Year in 2003. In 2010, Sports Illustrated named Dumars one of the Top 10 sports executives of the past decade. 

During his 14-year NBA career, Dumars won two titles, was named NBA Finals MVP, appeared in six All-Star games and was named All-Defensive First Team four times. He was also a member of the 1994 gold-medal USA Basketball World Championships team. Dumars was the first recipient of the NBA Sportsmanship Award (1995-96), which was subsequently named the Joe Dumars Trophy. 

Dumars holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from McNeese State University.

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Kings Name Joe Dumars Chief Strategy Officer

The Sacramento Kings announced today that Peja Stojakovic has stepped down as Assistant General Manager.

“It has been a great joy and honor to work in the Kings front office for the past five years,” said Peja Stojakovic. “I want to thank the organization and especially the incredible fans around the world for the support over the years. Sacramento will always be home to me and I wish the franchise nothing but the very best.”

“We are deeply appreciative to Peja for his contributions and commitment to the Kings and to the city of Sacramento both as a legend and as an executive,” said Kings Owner and Chairman Vivek Ranadivé. “Peja is a pillar of the community and he will always remain a part of our Kings family. We wish him and his family all the best in the future.”

Since 2015, the former Kings standout has served in various front office executive roles, including as Assistant General Manager for the past two seasons and prior to that as Vice President of Basketball and Team Development.

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Peja Stojakovic Steps Down As Kings Assistant GM

The Sacramento Kings announced today that Vlade Divac has stepped down as General Manager. In the interim, Joe Dumars has been named Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations and will immediately assume General Manager duties.

“This was a difficult decision, but we believe it is the best path ahead as we work to build a winning team that our loyal fans deserve,” said Kings Owner and Chairman Vivek Ranadivé. “We are thankful for Vlade’s leadership, commitment and hard work both on and off the court. He will always be a part of our Kings family.”

“It has been an honor and a privilege to serve as the General Manager for the Kings,” said Vlade Divac. “I want to thank Vivek for the opportunity and recognize all of the incredible colleagues who I had the great pleasure of working with during my tenure. Sacramento and the Kings will always hold a special place in my heart and I wish them all the best moving forward.”

The team will work with Dumars to develop a long-term strategy for the organization’s basketball operations structure, to include a search for a permanent General Manager. No further personnel decisions will be made until a new General Manager is in place.

“Joe has become a trusted and valued advisor since joining the team last year, and I am grateful to have him take on this role at an important time for the franchise,” said Ranadivé.

In June 2019, Dumars was named Special Advisor to the General Manager and has over 30 years of NBA experience both as a player and front office executive in addition to an extensive executive business background.

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Vlade Divac Steps Down as Kings GM

Today, Sacramento Kings General Manager Vlade Divac named Luke Walton as the team’s new head coach. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“I have known Luke for many years and I am so excited to welcome him and his family to the Sacramento Kings,” said Kings General Manager Vlade Divac. “I look forward to his leadership on the court as we work to build a winning culture for many years to come.”

Walton joins the Kings after spending the previous three seasons as head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, where he improved the team’s win total each season while simultaneously developing their young roster. In his inaugural season (2016-17), L.A. saw a nine-game improvement to 26 wins from a franchise-worst record the year prior, and saw another nine-game leap to 35 wins in 2017-18 before finishing with 37 wins last year.

Before joining the Lakers, Walton was an assistant coach with the Golden State Warriors from 2014-15 to 2015-16. During his time with the team, they appeared in consecutive NBA Finals and won the NBA Championship in 2015. He received Western Conference Coach of the Month honors (October/November 2015) while serving as interim head coach in Steve Kerr’s absence and leading the Warriors to a 39-4 start for the 2015-16 season, including winning the first 24 games, an NBA record. Prior to joining the Warriors coaching ranks, he served as a player development coach for the Lakers G-League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers, in the 2013-14 season. He also served as an assistant coach at the University of Memphis during the 2011 NBA lockout.

Walton’s decade-long NBA playing career with the Lakers (2003-12) and Cleveland Cavaliers (2012-13) spanned 564 regular season games averaging 4.7 points (.429 FG%, .326 3pt%, .715 FT%), 2.8 rebounds, and 2.3 assists. The San Diego native was selected 32nd overall in the 2003 NBA Draft by the Lakers, where he made seven postseason appearances and was a member of back-to-back NBA Championship teams in 2009 and 2010.

Walton played collegiately at the University of Arizona where he was named an All-Pac-10 performer twice in his four-year career (1999-2003), received John R. Wooden All-American honors as a junior and was a Wooden Award Finalist as a senior.