Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey will participate in a conversation with Medill Prof. J.A. Adande on Jan. 17 about the state of basketball in America and the use of data analytics in sports, the Contemporary Thought Speaker Series announced Thursday.

Morey (McCormick ’96) is one of leading general managers in the modern movement of using advanced data analytics, according to the news release. Morey has helped lead the Rockets to success with his use of analytical methods to scout and draft players, the release said.

“Being a successful, well-known general manager would appeal to any basketball fan or sports fan, but he’s such a pioneer in the industry that we think he’s a great face of basketball to have on campus,” said SESP sophomore Trevor Lystad, the vice president of finance and development for CTSS. “I think he could be really interesting to any student interested in statistics or data, especially since prediction models and uses of statistical data like that have become more popular in today’s world.”

While Morey was general manager, the Rockets have not had a losing record. They have also made the playoffs eight times and appeared in the conference championship in 2015.
Morey started his career with the Boston Celtics. He was named assistant general manager of the Houston Rockets in April 2006 and became general manager in 2007. He is also the co-founder of the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference.

Morey will have this conversation with Adande, who is the director of sports journalism at the Medill School of Journalism, Media and Integrated Marketing Communications.Adande also covers the NBA for ESPN.

The event will take place in the McCormick Foundation Center Forum. Tickets are not required for the event, and seating will be first-come, first-serve.