Syracuse, NY ― In an effort to keep pace with the changing landscape of college sports, Syracuse basketball coach Adrian Autry has hired an Orange alumnus for the newly created position of general manager.
Alex Kline, a 2016 Syracuse graduate who has been an NBA scout for the past eight years, becomes the first general manager in SU basketball history. Hiring him reflects the need to navigate the world of recruiting that now includes Name, Image and Likeness, the transfer portal and player retention.
“As we look to compete at the highest levels, adding Alex to our general manager position is critical,” Autry said in a statement. “This move aligns with our goal to be at the forefront of player evaluation, development and retention, recruiting and Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) in college basketball. “It will help Syracuse compete on a national level.”
Kline spent the last four years in the New York Knicks front office, working as a scout and also on projects with the team’s president, vice president and assistant general manager. He organized the team’s strategy for the NBA Draft.
Kline, 30, has long been considered one of the sport’s rising stars. Before joining the Knicks, Kline worked in a similar position with the New Orleans Pelicans for four years.
As a teenager, he founded The Recruit Scoop, an online recruiting site that highlighted high school basketball players. While still in high school, he took the site to Rivals.com.
While in high school, Kline also founded the Mary Kline Classic, named in honor of his mother. The charity basketball event raised money and awareness for cancer research. He oversaw the Classic from 2010 to 2015 before becoming co-director in 2017. Proceeds from the event exceeded $131,000 and were donated to the National Brain Tumor Society and Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia.
In his new role with Syracuse, Kline will focus primarily on scouting, NIL opportunities for players, the transfer portal and fundraising.
“With the changing landscape of college basketball, I felt it was the perfect time to rejoin my Syracuse family,” Kline said in a statement. “Coach Autry, the staff and I are aligned with a process-driven vision that is linear with how NBA front offices build winning rosters. Simply put, this was a life-changing opportunity to impact both a university and a community that has invested so much in me.”
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