UNC men’s basketball hires Jim Tanner to be program general manager
North Carolina is bringing in Jim Tanner to be the general manager for the men’s basketball program, the school announced Tuesday.
UNC coach Hubert Davis has been coy recently when asked about adding a GM, but the Tar Heels have hired Tanner, a UNC graduate, High Point native and experienced NBA agent. Tanner has represented more than 70 NBA players in his 28-year career and 40 NBA first-round draft picks.
Tanner is a founder and serves as president of Tandem Sports + Entertainment and has been an NBA and WNBA agent. The company’s clients have included 17 former UNC players, including Vince Carter, Tyler Hansbrough, Justin Jackson, Marvin Williams and John Henson in addition to such former NBA stars as Tim Duncan, Grant Hill and Ray Allen.
Davis, in his fourth season as head coach, played at UNC for the late Dean Smith and has long stressed that he preferred a traditional program over a transactional one. But the changes in college sports, with more freedom of movement through the transfer portal and players seeking NIL deals and roster management issues, have caused several colleges to hire a GM.
When Bill Belichick was named UNC’s new head football coach, one of his first moves was to name Michael Lombardi as his general manager. Lombardi has extensive NFL experience.
Duke men’s basketball has had a GM – former Nike executive Rachel Baker – on its staff since June 2022
Tanner attended UNC on a Morehead-Cain scholarship and earned his undergraduate degree in 1990. He attended the University of Chicago Law School and later worked in sports law practice for Williams & Connolly LLP, a Washington D.C.-based firm, representing athletes in the NBA, WNBA and PGA Tour.
In 2013, Tanner founded Tandem Sports + Entertainment, which is based in Arlington, Virginia.
“The landscape of college basketball has changed dramatically in a short period of time with NIL, collectives and the transfer portal,” Tanner said in a statement. “It’s a highly competitive, and constantly evolving environment.”
UNC athletic director Bubba Cunningham acknowledged the addition of the new position was necessary to “compete at the championship level.”
Davis was first questioned about the need for a GM on Feb. 3 on his weekly radio show.
“We’re going to hire a GM,” Davis said. “We need a director of marketing and fundraising for NIL. The old model for Carolina basketball just doesn’t work, it’s not sustainable. It has to build out because there’s so many things in play with NIL, the transfer portal, agents, international players. ... You need a bigger staff so I can do what I’m supposed to be doing, coaching basketball.”
Davis has since deflected questions about a GM. During an ACC coaches media call, he said his comments had been “twisted” and did not comment further. Asked again Friday, he again said he wanted to talk only about basketball.
“The only thing on my mind is this team,” he said.
This story was originally published February 25, 2025 at 8:21 AM.
