A Day In The Life of an NBA GM
Thu Dec 11, 2003 11:00 am
I thought this was cool...
This article appears in the 9/24/03 Edition of JET Magazine
_____________________________________________
BEHIND THE SCENES:
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF AN NBA GENERAL MANAGER
By Melody K. Hoffman
(and typed up by an exhausted EGarrett)
Everything the average fan notices about a professional sports team is manufactured and engineered by the general manager (GM). The general manager is the backbone of his basketball team. He hires the players and the coaches, negotiates contracts, oversees the budget and scouts college talent.
Philadelphia 76ers GM Billy King took JET behind the scenes of this well-known title with little-known duties to experience a day in his life.
8:30AM
King arrives at his office at the 76ers arena, the Wachovia Center in south Philly. The 37-year-old King says oftentimes he arrives a lot earlier--around draft day or the free agency period.
King, in his sixth year as the 76ers' general manager, was also named the team's president in May. Under King's reign, Philadelphia has become a title-contending team.
"I oversee the business side and basketball side of the team. I'm at practice, I meet with doctors about player injuries, or when a couple of GMs call, I talk to them, possibly trying to do trades.
10:03AM
King begins his morning director's meeting. They mainly discuss the next day's event, which is opening night of the regular season. In his large green, leather swivel chair, King listens as Lara Price, senior V.P. of business operations, lists the guests and runs down the order of the festivities. When Price suggests free popcorn to a group of performers for the evening, everyone in the room nods in agreement. It seems like a done deal until King pipes in, "How much?"
"I like to ask because they're a lot of great ideas, but if you say yes and at the end of the day you don't realize what the cost was, then you're over-budget, and I'm the one who is held responsible," said King, who decided against the free popcorn vouchers.
10:35AM
Though King has a full staff, he gives input on the smallest details. He gives instructions to upgrade a guest's hotel room to a suite and to upgrade a plane ticket to first-class. He even asked about having pyrotechnics at every home game!
10:54AM
The meeting is interrupted because the artist scheduled to play America the Beautiful, saxophonist Clarence Clemmons, had a death in his family and would not be able to keep his plans. The room starts to buzz with suggestions for alternate singers. The names Jill Scott, Patti Labelle and Floetry bandy about the room.
11:41AM
King jumps into his S55 Black Mercedes in the pouring rain to head to the team's training facility at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM), about a 20-minute drive from the game arena. From the dashboard phone he dials his assistant to get an update on phone calls and his schedule for the rest of the day.
Half a dozen OKs to messages ranging from requests for tickets to calls from other GMs later, King arrives at the training center, greets his staffers by name and sits in his second--and most used--office.
12:20PM
King later goes downstairs to speak with the trainers and a few players while they shoot around. He speaks with forward Derrick "DC" Coleman while the trainer tapes Coleman's ankle. King says his youthful age and being a Black man are very beneficial to his position. "I think it's an advantage because I can talk to [player's and coaches] and a lot of times I can understand what they're going through at that time. I can relate to them a little bit because our generation gap isn't that far apart. When talking to free agents, I can tell them what benefits Philadelphia has for them, because some of the same things they might be looking for are things I am looking for as well."
1:05PM
King goes back upstairs to his office for more paperwork and phone calls. He approves expense reports, reviews mail and notes for things his assistant, Marlene Barnes, to handle. Then King telephones injured player Monty Williams (and Williams' agent Joe Glass). His many gadgets keep him connected to his world. He says his 2-way pager is for trainers and players, his BlackBerry Palm Pilot delivers his e-mail straight to his pocket, his cell phone is for agents and others and the Sidekick fills in the gaps as he stays on the run all day.
1:14PM
King speaks with the owner Ed Snider to fill him in on the team's status for the day. He updates Snider on injuries, ticket sales and overall game preparations for opening night.
1:24PM
King speaks to Kevin O'Connor of the Utah Jazz, then John Gabriel of the Orlando Magic about possible trades. "You are always talking to GM's so that you know what is going on in the league. You may not make trades, but you always want to be in the loop...try to talk to other GMs to get a feel for what they're looking for in their team. The two things that come into play are: Will the guy fit as a basketball player and personality with the team and what are the financial ramifications of his contract?"
1:40PM
King walks to the garage with his black leather binder in one hand and a slice of barbecue chicken pizza in the other. He drives back to the Wachovia Center for the company's (Comcast -Spectacor) foundation meeting. His silver Samsung cell phone rings. He answers, makes the call brief, and then speaks about some misconceptions about his job.
"GMs are the building block of a team. GMs are there to represent the ownership. I think most people look at GMs and say, 'OK, all they do is trade.' We deal with trades, but there's so much more to the general manager's job because trades are probably 40 percent of the job; the other 60 percent is really player management: dealing with the player, if he's having problems at home, trying ot talk to him, trying to keep players motivated to perform. Another big part is head coach management. GMs spend time talking to the coaches to give them ideas about how to best motivate a player."
3:20PM
After the foundation meeting a few members of his staff line up to update him on developments. King is most interested in who will perform the national anthem the next day. He is informed it will be Neo-Soul singer Musiq. King sighs in appreciation and relief.
3:35PM
A media relations coordinator is up next to go over King's morning plans for the following day. King will co-host a local TV show to promote the team's opening night. He receives the run-down, asks about a script and confirms he goes on the air at 8:44 in the morning.
3:43PM
Up next, Lara Price informs King about a computer problem and to resolve the issue, the company would hve to pay an extra $700 a month for Internet connection. The math whiz calculates the cost for the whole year and immediately approves the request, saying it is worth it.
3:52PM
King sigs in the same seat as his staff members come in and out of the conference room one by one to speak with him. When he gets filled in on ticket sales for the day, King appears pleased. Though King stays involved with everything concerning the team, as a general manager and president he says he tries hard not to do too many jobs. "I hire all directors and vice presidents. I want to give them their job and let them do their job and not try to over-micromanage because they know they were hired for a reason. I don't want to take that power away from them."
4:02PM
Because a community event was scheduled and postponed for later in the day, this is the first night in months that he hasn't had anything scheduled for the evening. He leaves to go back to PCOM to finish preparing for the opening night game.
4:30PM
King meets with Coach Ayers and Tony Dileo, Sr. VP of Basketball and assistant general manager. The three talk about the team and coach Ayers expresses his thoughts on how the team is doing.
5:24PM
King e-mails the roster and injury list to the NBA. His deadline is 6:00 PM.
5:50PM
King goes through more mail and e-mail and returns calls that are on his list for the day.
6:15PM
King calls Detroit Pistons coach Larry Brown, New Jersey coach Rod Thorn and Kevin O'Connor of Utah to wish them all good luck with the start of the new seasons.
7:05PM
King, who is single, leaves to go home, fully aware that the next day will be a long day. His work hours vary: Sometimes it could end right at 5:00PM or 8:00PM. If it's a game day, 10PM, and if he travels with the team, they get in around 2AM but he doesn't mind. He savors every challenge and decision. "That's the biggest thing. My job gets evaluated by everyone. If we don't win, the papers write about it, the fans talk about it. If we win, they do the same thing. When I walk around, people give me suggestions on whom to sign, whom to trade.
But I look at it as part of the job, and it shows the passion of the fans. But I always say, it beats working--because I think when you have a job you enjoy, it's not really work."
This article appears in the 9/24/03 Edition of JET Magazine
_____________________________________________
BEHIND THE SCENES:
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF AN NBA GENERAL MANAGER
By Melody K. Hoffman
(and typed up by an exhausted EGarrett)
Everything the average fan notices about a professional sports team is manufactured and engineered by the general manager (GM). The general manager is the backbone of his basketball team. He hires the players and the coaches, negotiates contracts, oversees the budget and scouts college talent.
Philadelphia 76ers GM Billy King took JET behind the scenes of this well-known title with little-known duties to experience a day in his life.
8:30AM
King arrives at his office at the 76ers arena, the Wachovia Center in south Philly. The 37-year-old King says oftentimes he arrives a lot earlier--around draft day or the free agency period.
King, in his sixth year as the 76ers' general manager, was also named the team's president in May. Under King's reign, Philadelphia has become a title-contending team.
"I oversee the business side and basketball side of the team. I'm at practice, I meet with doctors about player injuries, or when a couple of GMs call, I talk to them, possibly trying to do trades.
10:03AM
King begins his morning director's meeting. They mainly discuss the next day's event, which is opening night of the regular season. In his large green, leather swivel chair, King listens as Lara Price, senior V.P. of business operations, lists the guests and runs down the order of the festivities. When Price suggests free popcorn to a group of performers for the evening, everyone in the room nods in agreement. It seems like a done deal until King pipes in, "How much?"
"I like to ask because they're a lot of great ideas, but if you say yes and at the end of the day you don't realize what the cost was, then you're over-budget, and I'm the one who is held responsible," said King, who decided against the free popcorn vouchers.
10:35AM
Though King has a full staff, he gives input on the smallest details. He gives instructions to upgrade a guest's hotel room to a suite and to upgrade a plane ticket to first-class. He even asked about having pyrotechnics at every home game!
10:54AM
The meeting is interrupted because the artist scheduled to play America the Beautiful, saxophonist Clarence Clemmons, had a death in his family and would not be able to keep his plans. The room starts to buzz with suggestions for alternate singers. The names Jill Scott, Patti Labelle and Floetry bandy about the room.
11:41AM
King jumps into his S55 Black Mercedes in the pouring rain to head to the team's training facility at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM), about a 20-minute drive from the game arena. From the dashboard phone he dials his assistant to get an update on phone calls and his schedule for the rest of the day.
Half a dozen OKs to messages ranging from requests for tickets to calls from other GMs later, King arrives at the training center, greets his staffers by name and sits in his second--and most used--office.
12:20PM
King later goes downstairs to speak with the trainers and a few players while they shoot around. He speaks with forward Derrick "DC" Coleman while the trainer tapes Coleman's ankle. King says his youthful age and being a Black man are very beneficial to his position. "I think it's an advantage because I can talk to [player's and coaches] and a lot of times I can understand what they're going through at that time. I can relate to them a little bit because our generation gap isn't that far apart. When talking to free agents, I can tell them what benefits Philadelphia has for them, because some of the same things they might be looking for are things I am looking for as well."
1:05PM
King goes back upstairs to his office for more paperwork and phone calls. He approves expense reports, reviews mail and notes for things his assistant, Marlene Barnes, to handle. Then King telephones injured player Monty Williams (and Williams' agent Joe Glass). His many gadgets keep him connected to his world. He says his 2-way pager is for trainers and players, his BlackBerry Palm Pilot delivers his e-mail straight to his pocket, his cell phone is for agents and others and the Sidekick fills in the gaps as he stays on the run all day.
1:14PM
King speaks with the owner Ed Snider to fill him in on the team's status for the day. He updates Snider on injuries, ticket sales and overall game preparations for opening night.
1:24PM
King speaks to Kevin O'Connor of the Utah Jazz, then John Gabriel of the Orlando Magic about possible trades. "You are always talking to GM's so that you know what is going on in the league. You may not make trades, but you always want to be in the loop...try to talk to other GMs to get a feel for what they're looking for in their team. The two things that come into play are: Will the guy fit as a basketball player and personality with the team and what are the financial ramifications of his contract?"
1:40PM
King walks to the garage with his black leather binder in one hand and a slice of barbecue chicken pizza in the other. He drives back to the Wachovia Center for the company's (Comcast -Spectacor) foundation meeting. His silver Samsung cell phone rings. He answers, makes the call brief, and then speaks about some misconceptions about his job.
"GMs are the building block of a team. GMs are there to represent the ownership. I think most people look at GMs and say, 'OK, all they do is trade.' We deal with trades, but there's so much more to the general manager's job because trades are probably 40 percent of the job; the other 60 percent is really player management: dealing with the player, if he's having problems at home, trying ot talk to him, trying to keep players motivated to perform. Another big part is head coach management. GMs spend time talking to the coaches to give them ideas about how to best motivate a player."
3:20PM
After the foundation meeting a few members of his staff line up to update him on developments. King is most interested in who will perform the national anthem the next day. He is informed it will be Neo-Soul singer Musiq. King sighs in appreciation and relief.
3:35PM
A media relations coordinator is up next to go over King's morning plans for the following day. King will co-host a local TV show to promote the team's opening night. He receives the run-down, asks about a script and confirms he goes on the air at 8:44 in the morning.
3:43PM
Up next, Lara Price informs King about a computer problem and to resolve the issue, the company would hve to pay an extra $700 a month for Internet connection. The math whiz calculates the cost for the whole year and immediately approves the request, saying it is worth it.
3:52PM
King sigs in the same seat as his staff members come in and out of the conference room one by one to speak with him. When he gets filled in on ticket sales for the day, King appears pleased. Though King stays involved with everything concerning the team, as a general manager and president he says he tries hard not to do too many jobs. "I hire all directors and vice presidents. I want to give them their job and let them do their job and not try to over-micromanage because they know they were hired for a reason. I don't want to take that power away from them."
4:02PM
Because a community event was scheduled and postponed for later in the day, this is the first night in months that he hasn't had anything scheduled for the evening. He leaves to go back to PCOM to finish preparing for the opening night game.
4:30PM
King meets with Coach Ayers and Tony Dileo, Sr. VP of Basketball and assistant general manager. The three talk about the team and coach Ayers expresses his thoughts on how the team is doing.
5:24PM
King e-mails the roster and injury list to the NBA. His deadline is 6:00 PM.
5:50PM
King goes through more mail and e-mail and returns calls that are on his list for the day.
6:15PM
King calls Detroit Pistons coach Larry Brown, New Jersey coach Rod Thorn and Kevin O'Connor of Utah to wish them all good luck with the start of the new seasons.
7:05PM
King, who is single, leaves to go home, fully aware that the next day will be a long day. His work hours vary: Sometimes it could end right at 5:00PM or 8:00PM. If it's a game day, 10PM, and if he travels with the team, they get in around 2AM but he doesn't mind. He savors every challenge and decision. "That's the biggest thing. My job gets evaluated by everyone. If we don't win, the papers write about it, the fans talk about it. If we win, they do the same thing. When I walk around, people give me suggestions on whom to sign, whom to trade.
But I look at it as part of the job, and it shows the passion of the fans. But I always say, it beats working--because I think when you have a job you enjoy, it's not really work."
Thu Dec 11, 2003 11:31 am
That was an interesting read. Makes me reconsider the times I've claimed I could be a better NBA GM. 
Thanks for typing that up EG. 
Thanks for typing that up EG.
Thu Dec 11, 2003 11:59 am
wonder if i could be a real NBA gm sumday... be intresting to see...
be intresting to see...