The men’s basketball program at California State University, Sacramento, aka Sac State, is making bold moves with the addition of Shaquille O’Neal as general manager and Mike Bibby as head coach.

According to The Sacramento Bee, O’Neal will take on the voluntary role while supporting a program that includes his son, Shaqir O’Neal, who recently transferred from Florida A&M University.

The Hornets are preparing to unveil their new on-campus basketball facility this fall, reflecting university president Luke Wood’s commitment to elevating the athletic program.

How this is seen as a step forward for the program

Wood, a Sacramento State alum and one of the youngest university presidents nationwide, sees O’Neal’s involvement as a pivotal step forward.

“This is an incredible moment for Sacramento State. Shaquille O’Neal is a difference maker in everything he touches, and we are thrilled to have him join our program. I’m especially grateful to Coach Bibby for making this extraordinary partnership possible. He is showing what we already know – that he will transform Sacramento State basketball and elevate the program to a top tier national program.”

The team is looking to improve on a challenging 7-25 season under interim coach Michael Czepil and a 28-42 record over the past two years. Despite these struggles, the program is adding to the franchise.

The addition of Mikey Williams to the program

Per ESPN, fans are excited about standout player Mikey Williams joining Sacramento State following the announcement of O’Neal joining as GM. Bibby and O’Neal see an opportunity for the first-year guard to grow under their mentorship. Last season, he averaged 5.1 points in 14 minutes per game for the University of Central Florida.

The outlet reported that despite moving up to Division I in 1991, the Hornets have not made the NCAA tournament since and had a winning record in 2014-15, 21-12, and 16-14 five years later.

Sacramento state university

Get relevant content delivered to you once a week