Terp Makes History in C Suite in NBA’s G League
As GM of Salt Lake City Stars, Former Basketball Standout Becomes Youngest Woman in Role in League History
With her promotion to general manager of the Salt Lake City Stars, Katie Benzan oversees the team’s day-to-day operations. “She works tirelessly, she does her homework, she knows her stuff and is a fantastic teammate. It’s no surprise to us that she’s found success at the executive level,” said Maryland head women's basketball coach Brenda Frese.
Photo courtesy of Utah Jazz
Katie Benzan M.Jour. ’22 and her older brother Pat grew up debating the finer points of basketball, the kind that only the most diehard fans ponder. One revolved around why LeBron James chose to sign with the Miami Heat in free agency in 2010. She was 12.
The Benzans both went on to play collegiate basketball. Pat went to Holy Cross, following in the footsteps of their parents, while Katie became a three-point specialist at Harvard, then Maryland.
After her playing career, Katie continued to search for answers to the questions and scenarios she and her brother had sparked up as kids. Now 27, she is the new general manager of the Salt Lake City Stars—the youngest woman in that role in the history of the NBA’s minor league, the G League.
“Even as a little girl, I didn't necessarily know that this was a possibility,” she said. “I just wanted to challenge myself and try it out.”
Benzan wrapped up a brief stint with the WNBA’s Washington Mystics in 2022 before joining the Utah Jazz organization. She previously was the coordinator of pro scouting and basketball operations generalist for the Jazz, as well as assistant general manager for the Stars, its G League affiliate. Her promotion in June makes her the youngest active general manager in the league; she is one of just two female general managers in the G League.
“From the first time we talked to Katie, we could see how brilliant she was,“ Maryland head women's basketball coach Brenda Frese said. “She works tirelessly, she does her homework, she knows her stuff and is a fantastic teammate. It’s no surprise to us that she’s found success at the executive level.“
Playing as a guard under Frese at Maryland, Benzan was a significant part of the Terps’ 2021 and 2022 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 teams. In 2021, they also earned Big Ten Tournament and regular-season titles. Benzan was named an AP All-America Honorable Mention and All-Big Ten Second Team selection in both years.
Benzan served as a team captain in her final season in College Park too, winning a Big Ten Sportsmanship Award. She also holds the program record for career three-point percentage (47.4%).
She believes that her experience on the court, combined with her master’s degree in journalism at Maryland, prepared her for her current role, whether she’s interviewing a player, talking to college coaches when trying to get intel, or being on the other side of the questions.
A career as a sideline reporter or analyst or coaching basketball seemed likely career routes for Benzan following her playing career. She trained aspiring athletes in the sport from 2016-18 through her own business, Benzan Basketball Services, and even had offers to coach collegiately after wrapping up her run with the Mystics.
However, she wanted to push herself out of her comfort zone. She moved across the country to take her first job in Salt Lake City, a city where she didn’t know anyone, let alone individuals within NBA organizations in a male-dominated industry.
“I feel in this organization, surrounded by incredible people and incredible mentors, I'm able to continue to grow and learn,” Benzan said, “and that's particularly why I'm so excited about this new role.”
See a longer version of this story at umterps.com.
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Department of Intercollegiate Athletics Philip Merrill College of Journalism