Alex Kline named Syracuse Men’s Basketball General Manager

Syracuse University Men’s Basketball head coach Adrian Autry ’94 announced the appointment of Alex Kline ’16, a former New York Knicks scout, as the team’s General Manager.

Autry emphasized the significance of Kline’s role in elevating player assessment, development, retention, recruitment, and managing Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) in college basketball to ensure Syracuse’s competitiveness on a national scale.

After serving as a scout for the Knicks for four years, Kline brings his expertise in talent evaluation for the NBA Draft, trade deadline, free agency, and special projects for the team’s leadership. Kline expressed his decision to rejoin Syracuse, citing the rapidly evolving landscape of college basketball and the shared vision with Coach Autry and the staff in implementing a process-driven approach aligned with constructing successful NBA rosters. Kline sees this as a transformative opportunity to make a meaningful impact on a university and a community that has been instrumental in his development.

SYRACUSE GENERAL MANAGER POSITION

A recently established role, the general manager will assist Coach Autry in overseeing multiple facets of Syracuse’s men’s basketball program. Key duties will involve talent scouting and recruitment, fostering connections with former student-athletes, handling Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) initiatives, managing the transfer portal, and jointly coordinating institutional fundraising with the University Advancement team.

JOINING THE LEAGUE

In 2016, Kline started working as a basketball operations assistant for the New Orleans Pelicans in the NBA. Over the next four years, he helped with college scouting and player evaluation, providing valuable input for the NBA Draft and free agency. In 2020, he joined the Knicks as a scout.

FOUNDING THE RECRUIT SCOOP

He established The Recruit Scoop, an online platform highlighting high school basketball players, in 2010. The site’s increasing popularity resulted in a partnership with Yahoo! Sports and Rivals in 2012, all while Kline was still in high school.

LEADING THE KLINE CLASSIC

Kline founded the Mary Kline Classic in memory of his mother, aiming to raise awareness for cancer research through a scholastic charity basketball event. He managed the Classic from 2010 to 2015 before taking on the role of co-director in 2017. The event has raised over $131,000, which has been donated to the National Brain Tumor Society and Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia.

KLINE’S ACCOLADES

In 2013 and 2014, Kline was honored in the Forbes 30 under 30 list during his time as an undergraduate at Syracuse. Additionally, he received the Outstanding Youth In Philanthropy award from the Association for Fundraising Professionals: Greater Philadelphia Chapter in November 2016.

A SYRACUSE ALUMNUS

Kline graduated from Syracuse in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in Broadcast and Digital Journalism, with a minor in Sports Management.