Weeks after Shaquille O'Neal's return to college basketball, Notre Dame follows suit hiring former star as General Manager

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish continued the trend of schools hiring former NBA players as their general managers just weeks after the Sacramento State Hornets appointed NBA great Shaquille O'Neal as their G.M. Former Fighting Irish star Pat Garrity was named the men's and women's basketball general manager on Tuesday.

In a statement released after the news was confirmed by Fighting Irish athletic director Pete Bevacqua, Garrity shared his excitement at getting the general manager's job at his alma mater.

“I’m thrilled to be returning to Notre Dame,” Pat Garrity said. “At every point in my career and life, Notre Dame has always been a second home for me and my family. The University has shaped who I am, and its values resonate deeply within me.

“To President (Robert A.) Dowd, Pete (Bevacqua), Micah (Shrewsberry) and Niele (Ivey) – thank you for your trust and for providing me with this amazing new opportunity. I can’t wait to begin serving our exceptional student-athletes in both programs and contributing to the broader mission of our athletic department and the University.”

According to the Fighting Irish website, Garrity's role within the Fighting Irish basketball setup will include operational roles, including budget analysis, fundraising, facility management and team personnel management.

Notre Dame keeping pace with change in college sports

With the historic House vs. NCAA settlement poised to go into effect on July 1 should California judge Claudia Wilkins approve it, the face of college sports will change immeasurably. Schools have adapted to the new era by appointing general managers and the return of Pat Garrity signifies the Fighting Irish's willingness to keep pace with the changes.

Fighting Irish vice president James Rohr broke down Garrity's role in the program's basketball setup.

“With the pace of change in college sports, we knew we had to find someone that could support Micah and Niele with all that’s required of high-level basketball programs off the court, while they focused on coaching and supporting our amazing student-athletes," Rohr said.

"Being able to bring in someone like Pat, who’s a Notre Dame alumnus, former student-athlete, 10-year NBA veteran, former NBA front office executive and N. D parent, made him the perfect candidate from the start.”

Pat Garrity played for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish between 1994 and 1998 and was a three-time All-Big East selection alongside being named the 1997 Big East Player of the Year. He finished his career in South Bend with 2,085 points (fifth all-time) after averaging 18.8 points and 7.0 rebounds.

Garrity graduated in 1998 with a B. S in Science Pre-Professional Studies before he was drafted No. 19 overall in the NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks.