Wake Forest has hired a new general manager for both their men’s and women’s basketball teams.
Weinman has spent the last 13 years with the Chicago Bulls, where he has served as the Assistant General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Strategy and Analytics. During his time with the Chicago, the Bulls posted a combined 492-547 record (0.474), made the playoffs 5 times, and lost in the play-in tournament 3 times. In addition to his role with the basketball program, he will also serve as an Executive Affiliate with the Wake Forest School of Business, setting up a sports analytics program within the business school. You can read more about the way he uses analytics and conveys information to coaches and players here.
This is a step in the right direction for the basketball programs at Wake Forest. Like it or not, college sports have become more like their professional counterparts, as every team basically has a salary cap they can spend on free agents. Not only do teams have to put together the best possible team within their allotted budget, but they have to do that every single season, starting with basically an empty roster. A new focus on analytics and finding great, affordable players in the portal should help Wake Forest compete in this new era of college sports.