More

    Thunder road: Internship with NBA Finals-bound team a boon for School of Communication student – Illinois State University News

    When the Oklahoma City Thunder hit the hardwood for the NBA Finals on Thursday, the organizational imprint from Illinois State University’s School of Communication will have made its mark.
    Alum Matt Tumbleson ’04 is a National Basketball Association (NBA) journeyman having worked for the San Antonio Spurs, New Jersey Nets, and Memphis Grizzlies; he’s now vice president for basketball communications and engagement of the Thunder. He is a loyal Redbird, and his affinity for Illinois State has led to a career development experience of a lifetime for senior Liam Lyons of Evergreen Park.
    Lyons has been serving this academic year as a basketball communications associate for the Thunder during their 2024-25 season which included the Western Conference championship and league MVP honors for point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The Thunder went 68-14 this season to capture the Western Conference’s top playoff seed, and the team has already dispatched the Memphis Grizzlies, Denver Nuggets, and Minnesota Timberwolves in this year’s playoffs to reach the Finals.
    “I am thankful to Matt Tumbleson and ISU for such a great opportunity.”
    Lyons began the year doing social media monitoring of high-profile, verified sports journalist accounts, working to identify any trends in the communication sphere that may impact the reputation and business operations of the Thunder organization. As the season unfolded and the Thunder became increasingly the focus of high-profile sports commentators, his duties have evolved to include monitoring podcasts such as The Hoop Collective, Game Theory Podcast, Locked on Thunder, and The Mismatch. In this role, Lyons provides briefings to Tumbleson and his staff designed to help with team messaging about any emerging themes and issues.
    “I am so grateful to be doing this work in such a historic season for the Thunder,” Lyons said. “I am thankful to Matt Tumbleson and ISU for such a great opportunity.”
    While the School of Communication has been teaching students to work in sports communication positions for decades, its sports communication program officially commences with the fall 2025 class.

    source

    Latest articles

    spot_imgspot_img

    Related articles

    Leave a reply

    Please enter your comment!
    Please enter your name here

    spot_imgspot_img