Oklahoma Hires Clemson's Lucas McKay as New Basketball GM

McKay brings over two decades of experience to help lead Sooners' program

Apr. 6, 2026 at 9:12pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A cubist, geometric painting featuring overlapping planes of bright crimson red, dark orange, and navy blue, representing the strategic partnership between Oklahoma and Clemson basketball programs.The new partnership between OU's basketball program and general manager Lucas McKay aims to build a modern, analytically-driven roster that can compete for championships.Norman Today

The University of Oklahoma has hired Lucas McKay as the program's first-ever men's basketball general manager. McKay joins the Sooners after spending the last 14 of 16 years at Clemson, where he served in various roles including most recently as the Tigers' general manager in the 2025-26 season.

Why it matters

The creation of the general manager role at OU represents a significant investment in the program's infrastructure and a commitment to modernizing roster management and player acquisition strategies. McKay's extensive experience in these areas is expected to provide valuable support to head coach Porter Moser and help the Sooners remain competitive in the Big 12 Conference.

The details

As OU's chief front-office strategist and roster architect, McKay's responsibilities will include player valuation, analytics, NIL and revenue-share strategy, recruiting operations, player retention, and compliance. He will be supported by former Sooner star Trae Young, who was named assistant general manager last spring. McKay previously served as Clemson's general manager, director of recruiting, director of operations, and video coordinator over the last 14 years, helping the Tigers to significant success including three NCAA Tournament appearances.

  • McKay was announced as OU's new general manager on April 6, 2026.
  • He spent the previous 14 years in various roles at Clemson, including as general manager in the 2025-26 season.

The players

Lucas McKay

OU's new men's basketball general manager, bringing over two decades of experience in college basketball support staff, administration, coaching, and general manager roles.

Roger Denny

OU Vice President and Director of Athletics, who approved the creation of the general manager position to help strengthen the program's infrastructure and competitiveness.

Porter Moser

OU's head men's basketball coach, who will work closely with McKay to maximize the team's on-court performance.

Trae Young

Former Sooner basketball star who was named OU's assistant general manager last spring and will support McKay, particularly in the offseason.

Brad Brownell

Clemson's head men's basketball coach, who McKay worked under for 14 of the last 16 years in various roles.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“As this season ended, we took a critical look at how we must equip our men's basketball program to compete for championships. We did so with a firm belief that sustained success requires not just continuity, but meaningful investment in the people, structure and resources around our program. The addition of Lucas McKay as general manager is a direct reflection of that commitment.”

— Roger Denny, OU Vice President and Director of Athletics

“I'm extremely excited for Lucas and his wife and children to join the OU family. He's a relentless worker who is extremely respected in the profession and who has an intimate understanding of the current college basketball landscape and what it takes to succeed in recruiting. He's well-connected and is a great fit in terms of our culture and our vision to be a championship program.”

— Porter Moser, OU Head Men's Basketball Coach

“It is with great humility that I accept the responsibility to serve OU Athletics and its men's basketball program in the role of general manager. OU has a rich basketball history and tradition, and it was truly exciting to hear the vision Roger Denny, Marcus Bowman (deputy AD and men's basketball administrator) and Coach Moser have for the program moving forward and what we need to do to remain competitive in the best basketball conference in the country.”

— Lucas McKay, OU General Manager

What’s next

McKay will immediately begin working with Coach Moser and the OU basketball staff to evaluate the current roster, identify recruiting targets, and develop strategies to build a championship-caliber team.

The takeaway

The hiring of Lucas McKay as OU's first-ever men's basketball general manager represents a significant investment in the program's infrastructure and a commitment to modernizing roster management and player acquisition strategies. McKay's extensive experience in these areas is expected to provide valuable support to head coach Porter Moser and help the Sooners remain competitive in the Big 12 Conference.