Report: Razorbacks tab Celtics’ scouting director as first-ever GM

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — While most Arkansas fans were expecting a football background, apparently Arkansas athletics director Hunter Yurachek has gone in a different direction.

A social media post on X by Jon Rothstein of CBS College Basketball, it’s the director of scouting for the Boston Celtics and general manager of their G League affialiate. Cofield played a role in putting together the roster in Boston that won the World Championship last season.

He oversees player acquisitions, trades, and staff hires while scouting talent across college, NBA, G League, and international scenes for the Celtics.

Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman addressed the topic of a general manager that has become a requirement in the new world of the transfer portal and NIL.

“The portal opens April 15th, we need somebody in here, in my opinion yesterday,” Pittman said last week previewing spring practice. “We need them in here pretty soon. Before the portal opens up, we better get somebody in here that understands our football team first and then our needs. Let’s get some ranking going on and then, coming soon I’ll go in the portal and get those guys evaluated.

“We need a negotiator. I need someone that takes the, ‘Well, coach Pittman won’t give it to me. coach Pittman won’t give it to me.’ I need that taken off my plate. I need somebody to be ahead of what the market is.

“We need somebody up on the rules, we need somebody that’s a good talker, a good recruiter. We need a guy that’s a good evaluator . So, there’s a lot that he or she will be able to help us with. But that’s what I’m looking for. I’m looking for someone to talk to these kids’ agents, besides me. I want somebody else to talk to them and then give me the information.”