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Utah Director of Athletics Mark Harlan, left, honors Alex Jensen with his jersey at a press conference to introduce Alex Jensen, right, as the new head coach for the University of Utah men's basketball team at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, March 17, 2025. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News
Editor’s note: This story has been updated from Tuesday’s original report to include the official announcement that Wes Wilcox is Utah basketball’s new general manager.
Last week, new Utah basketball head coach Alex Jensen made the first official hire to his coaching staff, bringing in a talented recruiter, Raphael Chillious, as an assistant.
Another key piece of Utah’s coaching staff — its general manager role — is now officially on board as well.
One day after ESPN’s Pete Thamel first reported Tuesday that Wes Wilcox, most recently the Sacramento Kings’ assistant general manager, was being targeted to join Jensen’s staff in the GM position, the university announced the hire.
With the transfer portal and name, image and likeness compensation, along with expected revenue sharing, dominating the college game nowadays, a general manager role is becoming ever more important.
“My meetings with Wes, coupled with his outstanding experience, made it clear to me that this decision was a no-brainer,” Utah director of athletics Mark Harlan said in a statement. “I applaud Alex for identifying such a proven professional to help build the program as he envisions in this new era of college athletics, and I congratulate and welcome Wes and his family to the Runnin’ Utes family.”
Who is Wes Wilcox?
Before the news became official, Thamel noted that Wilcox would be the highest-ranking sitting NBA front office member to accept a college front office job.
Wilcox, who hails from La Habra, California, has an extensive NBA background.
That includes serving as the Atlanta Hawks GM from 2015-17, as well as the Hawks’ assistant GM from 2012-15.
He has served as the Kings’ assistant GM since 2020.
Wilcox has 24 years of experience working in an NBA front office, beginning as a video coordinator for both the Miami Heat and New Orleans Pelicans.
He joined the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003 as a scout and worked that avenue for three years before becoming an assistant coach with the franchise for two seasons.
Wilcox then was the Cavaliers’ director of player personnel for two years before his first GM experience, with the NBA D League’s Canton Charge. He worked alongside Jensen in Canton, hiring him as the head coach of the Charge. In Jensen’s final season as the Charge’s head coach, he was named the D League Coach of the Year.
“I’m thrilled to have Wes, his wife Larisha and their kids join our Runnin’ Utes family here in Salt Lake City,” Jensen said in a statement. “I couldn’t think of a better person to trust with the general manager position for our basketball program.
“Wes has such a wealth of experience not only at various levels in the NBA level but in the front office role for multiple organizations as well. That experience along with the multiple positions he’s had in all facets of the game will be critical as we move forward in this new frontier of college basketball.”
What Wes Wilcox said of becoming Utah’s general manager
Wilcox expressed his excitement in reuniting with Jensen, while filling a critical role on the new-look Utes’ staff.
“My family and I are ecstatic to be joining the Runnin’ Utes family and immerse ourselves in the Salt Lake community,” Wilcox said in a statement. “I want to thank Alex for entrusting me with such a critical position on his staff and incredibly humbled to work for a basketball program with so much history at the University of Utah.
“I understand how important this position is moving forward not only in the college athletics landscape but also for the future of Runnin’ Utes basketball. I’m excited to hit the ground running right away to help bring Utah basketball back to national prominence and will work tirelessly to help make that happen. I would also like to thank Director of Athletics Mark Harlan for this remarkable opportunity at such an important juncture in Runnin’ Utes basketball history.”
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