(GREEN BAY ATHLETICS) – The Green Bay men’s basketball program and head coach Doug Gottlieb have announced the addition of Phoenix legend Keifer Sykes as General Manager. In his role, Sykes will assist with student-athlete mentorship and development, recruiting analysis, community and alumni engagement, as well as fundraising for Phoenix hoops.
Along with his hiring, Green Bay men’s basketball is excited to announce the Phoenix will retire Keifer’s No. 24 jersey in an exhibition game against Bradley on Oct. 11. Bradley is led by former Phoenix head coach Brian Wardle, who coached Sykes throughout his GB career. Additional information for the event will be available soon.
“I am personally honored to have Keifer back in Green with the Phoenix! Keifer represents the best of college athletics as a player, a leader, and now an alum,” Gottlieb said. “Keifer has a tremendous basketball mind and connections from years in the sport, both domestically and abroad. It is because of his respected name, his basketball IQ, and his pristine reputation and work ethic in the sport that I’m proud to work with Keifer as our general manager.”
Sykes, one of the most dynamic players in Green Bay men’s basketball and Horizon League history, played for the Phoenix from 2011-15. A four-year starter, Sykes led the Phoenix to some of the best seasons in GB basketball history, including back-to-back 24-win seasons in 2013-14 and 2014-15. In 2013-14, GB claimed a regular season Horizon League Championship and was one game away from the NCAA Tournament in 2014-15.
“It means the world to me as I’ve been granted this opportunity to have a position with the University and a program that truly changed my life,” Sykes added. “I was born in Chicago, but I was raised in Green Bay, where I became an adult, and the love and support from the community is what ultimately helped me grow and thrive in my time as a student and after. In Green Bay, my teammates, coaches, and peers all grew and succeeded together, and that’s what I’m looking forward to continuing to do with me being back with the Green Bay Phoenix. As a forward and high-performing group, we will collectively continue to build and mentor the student athletes, and I’m passionately looking forward to helping develop the program on and off the court.”
The Chicago, Ill., native ended his Green Bay career with 2,096 points, 526 assists, 467 rebounds, and 155 steals, ranking second in program history in scoring. He also led in free throws made (557), tied for first in games started (125), and ranked among the top in other key categories. Alongside Detroit Mercy’s Antoine Davis, Sykes is the only player in Horizon League history to compile 2,000+ points, 500+ assists, and 400+ rebounds during his career.
Sykes’ prolific career saw him garner many accolades, including two Horizon League Player of the Year awards and three consecutive First Team All-Horizon League selections. On the national side, Keifer is one of two UWGB players (Tony Bennett) to earn AP All-America recognition twice. He was also a three-time NABC All-District First Team selection and was on watchlists for the Bob Cousy Award, Wooden Award, and the Naismith Award.
His standout career with the Phoenix and overall ability earned him numerous opportunities at the professional level. Sykes has played in the NBA G League with multiple organizations and has also competed at the highest levels in South Korea, Turkey, Italy, China, Greece, Australia, and, most recently, Poland, where he became a PLK Champion with Legia Warsaw in 2025. His professional career was perhaps highlighted by his signing of a multi-year NBA contract with the Indiana Pacers in December of 2021. The guard went on to play 32 games that year with Indiana. Sykes is one of just five Phoenix alums to reach the NBA level.
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