General Manager

National Basketball Association, or NBA, franchises are big operations. Every team in the league has more than 100 employees. Given the multi-hundred million dollar investment owners make in purchasing a team, they must have top quality management to run the business. While responsibilities will vary from franchise to franchise, the general manager of an NBA team is effectively the captain of the ship, especially in terms of day-to-day business operations.

NBA general managers must wear numerous hats. First, GMs are responsible for overseeing all of the business and financial operations of the team. Most GMS also have an important role in public relations as the public face of the team. Many GMs also have significant roles in player personnel decisions, including drafting, handling free agents and contracts.

Managing day-to-day operations and long- and short-term strategic planning take up most of a GM’s time. An effective GM will surround themselves with a strong staff who will take care of all but the most important decisions, and make sure they have all the information they need to make a decision. General managers spend time in meetings and at public events, especially if they are promoting a new business venture or partnership or are negotiating to build a new facility for the team.

Some owners of NBA teams want to be closely involved in player personnel decisions, while others prefer to leave these difficult decisions in the hands of the GM and the scouting and coaching staff. That said, the trend is definitely toward GMs being more actively involved in player personnel issues. More and more owners are ceding player personnel decisions to carefully selected brain trusts led by their GMs.

In the 21st century, GMs have many more responsibilities than did their predecessors. Not only are the size and scope of the operations of a basketball team much larger than they were decades ago, modern GMs must deal with complex financial and salary cap management issues. The growing complexity of the job of a GM makes it more important that GMs handle all aspects of the business. In fact, that is a big impetus toward more GMs becoming involved in player personnel decisions. Related to this, many GMs undertaking additional personnel responsibilities have been given new titles such as president or president of basketball operations.

Their high-profile position is greatly scrutinized, especially when their decisions go against the desires and opinions of fans, sports journalists and even team members. Their role is ultimately financial, but it involves accurately predicting talent, navigating trades, and choosing the right coaches for the direction of the team.

First and foremost, a general manager in the NBA must be knowledgeable about basketball. They are responsible for crafting the team, so they should have an excellent understanding of how the game works, and that goes beyond knowing the rules. They should know how the business of the NBA is conducted and be comfortable working in high-pressure situations.

They should also have a great mind for building and designing a potentially championship-winning team. General managers work with the often flamboyant or assertive personalities of NBA players, so being flexible and adaptable to players’ needs, while commanding the respect of the team, are essential skills that can be difficult to obtain through mere love of the game.

Many universities offer degrees in Sports Management or Sports Marketing. Some universities even offer advanced degrees such as an M.S. in Kinesiology or Ph. D. in Human Performance. This is a good background for those interested in marketing players as agents, then transitioning into general management. Obtaining an advanced degree in business or even a law degree can prepare interested individuals for the cutthroat negotiations process, but an education is secondary to having the proper connections and reputation.

Most general managers are former players or coaches. They have not only developed a thorough knowledge of the league, but they have cultivated relationships with teams and other players. Former players and head coaches also have built reputations in the NBA, which works to impress and persuade prospective additions to the team.

An NBA general manager will recruit talent, so a quality reputation of good judgment can be a useful predictor of future success. Having experience in the NBA will improve a person’s ability to handle criticism as well, which in the volatile world of professional sports is crucial.

The only consistent common denominator between general managers is their love of the game. To become a general manager, you must be passionate about the job and willing to work crazy hours. The rewards, however, are startling. NBA general managers enjoy some of the highest salaries in professional sports between $1-3 million.