OKC Thunder Loses Two Scouts to College Basketball General Manager Roles
As the general manager position becomes more common in college basketball, two scouts from the Oklahoma City Thunder have been appointed to fill open positions. After contributing to the construction of one of the best NBA rosters, two Thunder scouts are leaving the team.
Andrew Slater was recently hired as the general manager of NC State, joining the Wolfpack’s new head coach, Will Wade. Before his tenure with OKC, Slater worked as an independent scout in the North Carolina area, where he built strong connections with coaches and trainers.
For people that have been in this business for a while, they know how big of a hire Andrew Slater is for Will Wade and NC State.
Slater knows everything and everyone in the recruiting world. He is as connected as you can get with that landscape.
— Justin Byerly (@JustinByerly) March 22, 2025
According to Technician, NC State’s student newspaper, “Slater will mainly focus on evaluating high school and college players, identifying potential transfer portal candidates, and fostering relationships with coaches and programs. He’ll collaborate closely with Wade to find the best fits and anticipate team needs.”
Slater’s appointment has been well-received by NC State fans on social media. However, he’s not the only Thunder scout to leave recently. On Monday, Cincinnati announced that Corey Evans, another Oklahoma City scout, would become the Bearcats’ new general manager.
Evans joined the Thunder in 2020 after working as a recruiting analyst at Rivals. During his time with OKC, he helped scout players like Jalen Williams, Aaron Wiggins, and Cason Wallace, as reported by ESPN’s Pete Thamel. According to Cincinnati’s press release, Evans’ role with the Thunder included player evaluations and gathering intelligence on pre-draft prospects worldwide, in addition to assisting in the hiring of entry-level coaches and interns.
Evans, a graduate of Old Dominion, previously ran a website called Roundball Rundown Report before his time at Rivals.
Welcome to Cincinnati, Corey Evans!
📝: https://t.co/h0mprzc9n0 pic.twitter.com/IaaH72gXXB
— Cincinnati Men’s Hoops (@GoBearcatsMBB) March 31, 2025
The recent hires of Slater and Evans as general managers highlight the growing popularity of this position in college basketball, especially in light of the changes in NIL and transfer portal rules. Additionally, on Monday, the Oklahoma Sooners announced that Trae Young would take on the role of assistant GM, a position similar to the one Steph Curry holds at Davidson.
As the landscape of college sports evolves, it’s likely that more NBA front office staff will be recruited by college programs for GM or assistant GM roles. While losing two skilled scouts is a blow to the Thunder, the presence of one of the NBA’s best general managers at the helm helps ease any concerns about the departures of Slater and Evans.
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