Shaquille O’Neal is officially headed back to Sacramento—but this time, it’s not for a Kings reunion or a TNT taping. Instead, the Hall of Famer and four-time NBA champ is joining Sacramento State University as the new general managerof the men’s basketball program. Yep, you read that right: The Big Diesel is taking his talents (and his larger-than-life personality) to college hoops.
The move is making waves across the sports world—not just because it’s Shaq, but because the role is entirely unpaid and voluntary. That’s right, no check, just vibes.
So why Sac State? One reason could be family. Shaq’s son, Shaqir O’Neal, recently transferred to Sacramento State after playing last season at Florida A&M. He’s now suiting up for new head coach Mike Bibby, a 14-year NBA vet and Kings legend in his own right. Bibby was hired in March to take over a struggling program and has wasted no time putting the Hornets on the map—starting with this headline-grabbing front-office addition.
Shaq now joins a growing list of big-name athletes stepping into college GM roles. Stephen Curry just took a similar gig at Davidson, Trae Young at Oklahoma, and even Andrew Luck is playing front-office QB at Stanford. But none of those moves come with the same Shaq-sized presence.
Let’s not forget, Shaq has a little history with Sacramento. He was a minority owner of the Kings from 2013 to 2022, and of course, he spent years battling the Kings on the court during the peak of the Lakers-Kings rivalry in the early 2000s. Now, he’s back—but this time, he’s helping build something instead of tearing it down.
Sacramento State isn’t exactly a hoops powerhouse—the Hornets went 7-25 last season and haven’t reached the NCAA Tournament since moving up to Division I in 1991. But things are looking up. The school is set to open a brand-new basketball facility this fall, and university president Luke Wood (the youngest CSU president ever) is going all-in on a sports renaissance.
Bringing in Shaq? That’s a power move.
“Shaquille O’Neal gives this program instant credibility,” one fan wrote online. “Bibby and Shaq together? This is must-watch college basketball.” Others are already dreaming about a Hornets Cinderella run: “If Shaqir’s got even half his dad’s dominance, Sac State just became the team to watch.”
And if we’re being honest, having Shaq anywhere makes things more fun. Between his current gig on Inside the NBA, his business ventures, DJ Diesel tour stops, and now this college GM role, the man stays booked and busy.
Whether it’s advising on recruiting, helping his son develop, or just being Shaq courtside at Hornets games, one thing’s for sure: Sac State basketball just got a whole lot louder.