The University of Utah has managed to poach yet another notable NBA figure.
Pete Thamel of ESPN reported on Tuesday that Utah was targeting Sacramento Kings assistant GM Wes Wilcox to become their new general manager. Shortly thereafter, James Ham of ESPN 1320 in Sacramento confirmed that Wilcox is indeed now set to take the GM position at Utah.
Wilcox has more than two decades of NBA front office experience. After starting out as a video coordinator, Wilcox became a scout for the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003 and eventually rose up to director of player personnel. He then joined the Atlanta Hawks in 2012 and even briefly served as their general manager from 2015-17. Wilcox would eventually join the Kings in 2020 and had been acting as their assistant GM ever since.
Thamel notes that Wilcox, with the move to Utah, now becomes the highest-ranking sitting NBA team executive to take a college front office job.
The Utes are trying to make some power moves right now after an underwhelming 2024-25 season, which marked their first in the Big 12. Utah finished the year at just 16-16 (including 8-12 in conference play) and failed to make the NCAA Tournament. The last NCAA Tournament berth for the Utes came all the way back in 2016, and they have only had two winning seasons since 2020.
Utah decided late last month to fire head coach Craig Smith, and they ended up replacing him with a noteworthy NBA assistant coach. Now the Utes have secured another standout from the NBA ranks in Wilcox to serve as their new general manager.
