If Iowa State hires an assistant general manager, who should it be?

The new norm around the world of college athletics involves money and NIL. So, programs are adding a new position to help with all that in an assistant general manager.

At the professional level, nearly every single team utilizes a general manager, as they are known as the “money person” for the executives. What exactly each GM at the collegiate level does could cover a variety of things.

Stephen Curry holds that title for his alma mater, Davidson, while Trae Young is the assistant GM at Oklahoma. Terance Mann for Florida State and even Maxx Crosby at Eastern Michigan is the latest to hold the position.

One of the first was Andrew Luck, as Stanford brought him on to help right the ship of the football program.

Recruiter, scout, fundraiser, negotiator; you name it, and these players can handle that position for their school.

So, what if Iowa State were to jump on board and hire an assistant general manager for football or basketball? Who would make the ideal candidate?

Iowa State assistant football GM choice would be Brock Purdy

When it comes to Cyclone football, you would be hard pressed to find a better candidate than Brock Purdy. The current quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers is a perfect representative of what Matt Campbell has build in Ames.

Purdy won 29 games over four years with Iowa State, throwing for over 12,000 yards and 81 touchdowns. He was the last pick in the NFL Draft by the 49ers, but quickly found himself thrust into the role of starter.

He finished 5-0 in 2022, throwing for 13 touchdowns with four interceptions. Purdy followed that up with a 12-4 season, reaching the Super Bowl while throwing 31 touchdowns and recording over 4,200 yards.

If Purdy is the answer for football, where would Jamie Pollard and Iowa State look when it comes to basketball? There are two answers, and honestly, you would not be wrong with either player.

Georges Niang would make a perfect assistant GM for Cyclone basketball

Tyrese Haliburton is the biggest former Cyclone currently in the NBA. He is the leader of the Indiana Pacers and one of the top young stars of the sport.

Haliburton played two seasons in Ames before being drafted by the Sacramento Kings in the first round. Following a midseason trade to the Pacers, he found his home, becoming an all-star while making the all-NBA first team last season.

But the better choice for an assistant GM would be Georges Niang. The former Iowa State All-American embodies what the program is all about; building a player into a star from the ground up.

Niang stands tall in the history books as a Cyclone and has carved out a stellar NBA career since. He has played for four different teams, averaging just over seven points per game for his career.