Quick Facts
- Sam Presti is 44 years old. He was born on November 1, 1977
- He Has a Degree in Communications, Politics, and Law with a Minor in Psychology
- Presti is 6 feet 1 inch or 179 centimeters tall
- Sam Presti became the general manager of Oklahoma City Thunder at the age of 29
- Presti is currently the longest-tenured active general manager in the NBA
- Sam Presti married Shannon O’ Connor in 2012 and they have three children.
- The OKC GM has an estimated net worth of $15 million
Sam Presti is a 44 years old American basketball executive currently serving as the general manager of the NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder. He was named the 11th general manager of the Thunder on June 7, 2007, at the age of 29 years, making him the second-youngest person to hold the position after Jerry Colangelo in the NBA. He is currently one of the longest-tenured general managers in the NBA.
Sam Presti Has a Degree in Communications, Politics, and Law with a Minor in Psychology
Sam Presti was born on November 1, 1977, in Concord, Massachusetts, United States of America. He was the only child born to his parents who divorced when he was in his teenage years.
Regarding his educational background, he attended high school at Concord Carlisle Regional High, after which he enrolled in Virginia Wesleyan College in 1995. After two years at Virginia Wesleyan College, he transferred to Emerson in 1997. While at Virginia Wesleyan College, he played Division III basketball.
Three years after he joined Emerson College in Boston, he graduated in 2000 with a bachelor’s degree in communications, politics, and law with a minor in Psychology. While he was a student at the Emerson College in Boston, he was awarded the first Rhodes Scholar nominee in school history. Moreover, he played Division III basketball and served as team captain of the Emerson College basketball team during both his junior and senior seasons. He was awarded All-Academic honors two times and was twice selected to the Great Northeast Athletic Conference All-Tournament team.
In 2005, Presti was honored with the Emerson College Young Alumnus Award 2005. He also completed Harvard University’s Continuing Education program on leadership and decision-making.
Sam Presti Became the General Manager of OKC at the Age of 29
Since 2000, Presti has served in different significant positions for the San Antonio Spurs before he rose to the position of vice president and general manager. He was hired as a video intern for Gregg Popovich by San Antonio Spurs in 2000 for $250 per month.
Acknowledged for encouraging San Antonio Spurs to draft Tony Parker, a point guard in 2001, he was promoted to the position of basketball operations assistant the same year. Subsequently, in 2002, he was made assistant director of scouting. In the year 2007, he rose to the position of vice president and Assistant General Manager.
At the young age of 29, Sam Presti was elevated to become the general manager of Oklahoma City Thunder formerly known as Seattle SuperSonics on June 7, 2007. This made him the second youngest person in NBA history to hold the position after Jerry Colangelo.
During his first season as a general manager of Seattle SuperSonics, his first move was to trade Ray Allen to the Boston Celtic and Rashad Lewis to the Orlando Magic. He selected P. J. Carlesimo as head coach to lead the team. Before the end of the season, the team was allowed to move to Oklahoma City and was renamed the Thunder. Presti went on to draft Kevin Durant, who later became the team’s leading scorer.
He is the longest-tenured Active General Manager in the NBA
In his second season as GM, Sam Presti fired head coach P. J. Carlesimo and hired assistant coach Scott Brooks as the interim coach. He acquired Thabo Sefolosha from the Chicago Bulls for a late first-round pick. On April 22, 2009, Scott Brooks was promoted to head coach.
Two years later, sometime in May 2012, he was named to the National Basketball Association’s first-ever Competition Committee and was recognized as Oklahoma City University’s 2012-13 recipient of the Abe Lemons/Paul Hansen Award for Sports Excellence. Moreover, he won the Oklahoma March of Dimes Sports Headliner Special Award in 2013.
On July 4, 2016, Kevin Durant left Oklahoma City leaving Presti with the option to either retain Russell Westbrook or otherwise rebuild the roster from scratch. In August of the same year, he held a press conference announcing that Westbrook had extended his contract until July 2018. In 2016, he was awarded the 2016 Oklahoman of the Year by Oklahoma Magazine and the Humanitarian Award to commend his role in diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
In July 2017, Oklahoma City Thunder acquired Paul George in exchange for Domantas Sabonis and Victor Oladipo. Presti’s team acquired Carmelo Anthony in exchange for Doug McDermott and Enes Kanter in September 2017 and on July 10, 2019, Presti traded Paul George to the Los Angeles Clippers. A year later, Presti traded Chris Paul to the Phoenix Suns Kelly Oubre Jr., Ricky Rubio, Ty Jerome, Jalen Lecque, and a 2022 first-round draft pick.
Sam Presti Married Shannon O’ Connor in 2012
Sam Presti walked down the aisle with Shannon O’ Connor in 2012 in a private wedding ceremony held in Oklahoma City. Shannon O’Connor works as the Director of Teen Leadership Initiatives for the YMCA of Greater Oklahoma City. According to her LinkedIn page, her duties as the Director include designing, implementing, and directing programming that helps underserved, minority, and first-generation college-bound students achieve higher education.
The couple believes in giving back to society. In June 2019, Presti and his wife donated $600,000 to the Children’s Hospital at OU Medicine to provide renovations to two procedure rooms at the Jimmy Everest Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders for Children and the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit at The Children’s Hospital. The donation also contributes to a significant construction project in the east lobby of The Children’s Center that will provide a “nurturing and interactive space” for children and their parents.
Read Also: All About Adam Silver’s Wife Maggie Grise and Their Children
The Couple Have Three Children
Throughout their marital relationship, the couple welcomed a son named Nicholas and twin daughters named Millie and Elise. Presti announced the birth of his twin girls during a press conference on September 19, 2018. He said ”My wife and I had twin girls last night, We’re thrilled and excited. I’m pretty happy, as you can probably tell.”
Sam Presti is a Philanthropist
Presti donated to the Oklahoma City Police Athletic League and PeacePlayers International in 2018, to help the parties develop initiative programs towards fostering positive relations with youth and law enforcement.
In July 2020, he alongside CAA Sports executive Mike Johnson and his high school teammate initiated the Thunder Fellows Program, aimed at unlocking new opportunities in sports, technology, and entertainment for Black students in the Tulsa area. The program seeks to expose students to a variety of disciplines within Thunder basketball operations.
A jazz fan, Presti recorded three music CDs, the proceeds of which benefits are diverted to the Extra Ordinary Needs Fund at Children’s Hospital in Boston. He recorded three CDs and mix CDs for coach Mike Brown when they both were in San Antonio. Moreover, he has established the Keenan Smith-Anthony Halls Scholarship Fund at his former high school, Concord-Carlisle, to assist underserved students with their college tuition.
What is Sam Presti’s Net Worth & Salary?
Sam Presti has an estimated net worth of $15 million which he primarily earned from his role as the general manager and executive Vice President of the Oklahoma City Thunder. As an intern with the San Antonio Spurs, Presti earned $250/month. Though his salary as the general manager of the Oklahoma City Thunder is yet to be revealed, the average annual salary of an NBA GM is reported to be around $2 million.
What is Sam Presti’s Height?
Sam Presti is tall with a height of 179 centimeters or 6 feet 1 inch. He is a healthy middle-aged man with a weight of 61 kg. He likes to meditate, diet as well as spend time with his family.
Profile Summary of Samuel Presti
- Full Name: Sam Presti
- Date of Birth: November 1, 1977
- Age: 44 years
- Place of Birth: Concord Massachusetts, United States of America.
- Nationality: American
- Zodiac Sign: Scorpio
- Education: Concord Carlisle Regional High, Virginia Wesleyan College, and Emerson College
- Profession: General Manager and Executive Vice President of Oklahoma City Thunder
- Net Worth: $15 million
- Height: 6 feet 1 inch
- Weight: 61kg
- Marital Status: Married
- Sam Presti’s Wife: Shannon O’Connor
- Children: Nicholas Presti, Millie Presti, and Elise Presti
- Instagram: @samprestigm
