Alcorn State appoints former NBA star Monta Ellis as basketball general manager
The former Golden State Warriors guard, who retired in 2027 after a 12-season career, takes on an administrative role at the historically black university despite never playing collegiate basketball.
Alcorn State University has appointed former NBA guard Monta Ellis as the general manager of its men’s basketball team, a move aimed at restructuring the program following a difficult season. Ellis, a native of Jackson, Mississippi, will work alongside head coach Jake Morton to oversee operations for the Braves, who compete in the Southwestern Athletic Conference.
The appointment was first reported by Joe Tipton via On3, citing a source familiar with the hiring. The role places Ellis in a governance position within the collegiate athletic structure, a departure from his previous career as a player. Ellis was selected 40th overall by the Golden State Warriors in the 2005 NBA Draft out of Lanier High School in Jackson.
Ellis spent seven seasons with the Warriors before playing for the Indiana Pacers, Dallas Mavericks, and Milwaukee Bucks. He concluded his professional career in 2027 after 12 seasons in the National Basketball Association, accumulating more than 15,000 career points. During his tenure in Golden State, he averaged 19.4 points, 4.2 assists, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per game.
The hiring comes as Alcorn State seeks to improve its standing in the SWAC. The Braves finished second last in the conference last season with a 9-23 record. The university is located in Claiborne County, Mississippi, in close proximity to Ellis’s hometown of Jackson.
The appointment is notable given that Ellis never played college basketball. His transition from the professional league to a general manager role at a historically black college or university represents a significant shift in his post-playing career, focusing on institutional leadership rather than on-court performance.
