19 Feb 2016

Marks named as Nets GM

9:18 am on 19 February 2016

Former New Zealand NBA basketball player Sean Marks is to take over as general manager of the Brooklyn Nets NBA team.

NZ basketball player and administrator Sean Marks.

NZ basketball player and administrator Sean Marks. Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Marks joins the Nets after spending the past five years with the San Antonio Spurs, including the last two seasons as the team's assistant general manager.

"After an exhaustive vetting process, we are delighted to have Sean as our General Manager," said Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov.

"His experience on the court, in coaching and management gives him a 360 degree view of the job at hand. His background helping to build one of the greatest teams in the NBA gives him an unparalleled frame of reference."

Marks said he was very excited to be taking up the role.

"I look forward to the challenge of creating a unified culture and building a winning team."

Before his two years as Spurs' assistant general manager, Marks spent one season as an assistant coach on its 2014 NBA Championship team, a season as the team's director of basketball operations and general manager of the Spurs' NBA Development League affiliate, the Austin Spurs, and a season as a basketball operations assistant.

A veteran of 12 NBA seasons, Marks was originally selected with the 44th pick in the second round of the 1998 NBA draft by the New York Knicks.

Over the course of his playing career, he suited up for the Toronto Raptors (1998-2000), Miami Heat (2001-03), Phoenix Suns (2006-08), New Orleans Hornets (2008-10) and Portland Trail Blazers (2010-11). He also spent two seasons with the Spurs (2004-06) and was a member of the 2005 NBA Championship team.

Marks spent four seasons at the University of California, Berkeley, where he served as a captain during his senior season (1997-98). He earned his degree in political science from the school in 1998.

He represented New Zealand in the 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games. He was also part of the team that finished fourth at the 2002 FIBA World Championship.