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One of the NBA’s most experienced professionals, Sonics &
Storm Executive Vice President Billy McKinney has spent 24
years in the league as a player, assistant coach, scout,
administrator and on-air game analyst. In addition to his
duties as the executive vice president, he currently
provides expert analysis for all Sonics television and radio
broadcasts.
His leadership and management skills are highly respected
throughout the league. He is one of the very few NBA
executives with the combined experience of helping to build
an NBA Championship team (Chicago Bulls), leading an
expansion team’s player personnel development (Minnesota
Timberwolves), helping a former NBA Championship franchise
rebuild itself with new personnel (Detroit Pistons),
participating in the NBA Finals as an executive (Seattle
Sonics), consulting with additional NBA teams on player
personnel and competing as an NBA player (Kansas City,
Denver, San Diego and Chicago).
In addition, McKinney has worked with a variety of companies
as a customer service consultant hired to devise programs
specifically designed to meet the needs and goals of client
organizations, educational institutions and corporations.
One example includes McKinney’s work in 1991 with Leaf
Candies where he identified new markets for the company’s
products. He also created new sales, marketing and
promotional concepts which helped Leaf greatly improve its
exposure, sales and distribution in a market previously
dominated by a competitor.
McKinney’s diverse areas of experience and expertise include
motivational speaking, sales, marketing customer service,
event planning and management consulting. He also conducts
basketball-skill development programs for male and female
athletes of all ages and playing levels.
He is considered one of the NBA’s foremost motivational
speakers and delivers presentations designed to address
specific areas of need for corporations and educational
institutions. The speaking topics and themes McKinney is
most noted for include…
Overcoming adversity
Teamwork and team building
Risk management
Commitment to excellence
Leadership
Developing new business and sales
Motivation and performance
Career planning
McKinney began his administrative career with the Chicago
Bulls in 1985 and was involved in the drafting decisions of
Horace Grant and Scottie Pippen. He held several management
positions with the Bulls including assistant coach, special
assignment scout and assistant general manager. In 1987, the
Bulls promoted Billy to assistant vice president of
basketball operations.
In 1988, McKinney became the expansion Minnesota
Timberwolves’ first director of player personnel — a
position he held for three seasons.
Before coming to the Sonics in the summer of 1995, McKinney
spent three years with the Detroit Pistons — two as director
of player personnel and one as vice president of basketball
operations. While with the Pistons, McKinney was responsible
for the drafting of NBA All-Star Grant Hill, as well as
standout players Lindsey Hunter and Allan Houston.
McKinney has also served as president of McKinney
Enterprises Inc., his own consulting firm that has provided
a variety of scouting services for several NBA teams.
McKinney Enterprises also focuses on the areas of sales,
marketing and customer service consulting for several
corporations in Minnesota’s Twin Cities area.
The Seattle Sonics named McKinney vice president of
basketball operations in July of 1995. Two years later, he
signed a contract extension with the Sonics through the
2001-02 season and was named the team’s executive vice
president of basketball operations. During that time,
McKinney was in charge of all college scouting and
evaluation of NBA, CBA, high school and European prospects
for the Sonics. In addition, McKinney assisted Sonics
President and General Manager Wally Walker in all
basketball-related decisions.
On April 16, 2001, Walker named McKinney executive vice
president of the Sonics & Storm. Beyond the color commentary
and game analysis he provides for the Sonics Broadcasting
Network with award winning play-by-play announcer Kevin
Calabro, McKinney continues to be involved in Sonics player
personnel decisions. He serves as an expert for player
transactions as well as free-agent assessment and selection.
A sixth-round draft choice in the 1977 NBA Draft, McKinney
played seven seasons in the league, beginning with Kansas
City in 1978. He also played for Utah, Denver, San Diego and
Chicago.
Born June 5, 1955, McKinney graduated from Northwestern
University with a Bachelor of Science degree in education.
At Northwestern, he was a four-year starter on the
basketball team and remains the school’s all-time leading
scorer. A two-time All-American, three-time All-Big 10
performer and three-time Northwestern MVP, he is a member of
the Northwestern Hall of Fame and the Illinois Basketball
Coaches Hall of Fame. An annual award for outstanding
student athletes is given in his name at Northwestern. While
at NU, McKinney was also a two-year starter at the
centerfield position on the Northwestern baseball team.
McKinney serves as a board member for the Harlem
Globetrotters, the Bellevue, Wash. Boys & Girls Club, Big
Brothers/Big Sisters, Junior Achievement and the
Seattle-King County Sports & Events Council.
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Billy
McKinney
Speaker
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Voice Over
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Broadcast
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Link
here for extra photos
“Disappointments have always been an inspiration to
me. Adversity merely shows us our potential.”
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