Clemson GM Lucas McKay Set to Join OU Basketball Staff

McKay's hiring could provide the Sooners with a dedicated general manager role.

Apr. 4, 2026 at 9:04pm

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Multiple reports indicate that Clemson's general manager Lucas McKay is leaving the Tigers to join the Oklahoma Sooners basketball staff. While his exact role is unconfirmed, McKay's extensive experience as a college basketball GM could make him a prime candidate to fill OU's need for a dedicated general manager to support head coach Porter Moser.

Why it matters

OU basketball has lacked a true general manager role, with assistant coach Brock Morris handling many of those responsibilities. McKay's hiring could provide the Sooners with more resources and expertise to navigate the transfer portal and build their roster, which new athletic director Roger Denny has identified as a priority for the program.

The details

McKay spent the last 13 of 16 seasons as Clemson's general manager, working under head coach Brad Brownell. He left Clemson in 2019 to be an assistant coach at UMKC, but returned in 2022 as the Tigers' director of recruiting. In that role, he focused on networking with agents and others in the college basketball industry to help Clemson position itself well in the transfer portal.

  • On Saturday, multiple reports surfaced that McKay is leaving Clemson to join the OU staff.
  • The transfer portal window opens on Tuesday, April 9, 2026.

The players

Lucas McKay

Clemson's general manager for the past 13 of 16 seasons, who is now set to join the Oklahoma Sooners basketball staff.

Porter Moser

The head coach of the Oklahoma Sooners men's basketball team.

Roger Denny

The first-year athletic director at the University of Oklahoma, who has emphasized the need to increase resources for the men's basketball program.

Brock Morris

An assistant coach for the Oklahoma Sooners who has handled many general manager-like responsibilities for the program in the absence of a dedicated GM.

Brad Brownell

The head coach of the Clemson Tigers men's basketball team, whom McKay worked under for the past 13 seasons.

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What they’re saying

“It's been a great partnership right from the gate, the jump. He made it really clear about the vision and of where we want to go. He's made it really clear that we have to up the resources put into men's basketball, and I really appreciated that. I know he comes from Illinois, and that program—basketball program—the investment made, and what I love about the partnership is how competitive he is right now to wanting not just men's basketball but all the sports (to succeed).”

— Porter Moser, Head Coach, Oklahoma Sooners

What’s next

The transfer portal window opens on Tuesday, April 9, 2026, and McKay's hiring could provide OU with additional expertise and resources to navigate that process and build their roster for the upcoming season.

The takeaway

The addition of an experienced college basketball general manager like Lucas McKay could be a game-changer for the Oklahoma Sooners, giving them a dedicated personnel expert to complement head coach Porter Moser and help the program compete at a higher level in the transfer portal era.