Chambana Sun

Illinois Men's Basketball Coach Brad Underwood announced the appointment of Neel Ganta as Director of Player Personnel. Ganta returns to the Fighting Illini, where he was a graduate manager during the 2020-21 season. That year, Illinois led the Big Ten in wins and secured a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Ganta rejoins after more than three years with the Denver Nuggets organization. He initially worked with their G League affiliate, Grand Rapids Gold, as director of player programs. In this role, he developed an internal web-app for players and assisted with team analytics.

In May 2022, Ganta transitioned to a role with the Nuggets as basketball strategy & analytics coordinator and pro scout. His responsibilities included special projects and live scouting at various levels, including NCAA and NBA games. His tenure coincided with the Nuggets' victory in the 2022-23 NBA Championship.

"Neel is on the cutting edge of basketball analytics, strategy, and implementation," said Underwood. "He has tremendous experience at his age...and we're excited to welcome him back."

Originally from Manhattan, Kansas, Ganta served as a consultant for Underwood during the 2019-20 season while studying at Kansas State University. He completed internships at JPMorgan Chase & Co., Boston Celtics, and Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City.

Ganta graduated from Kansas State University in May 2020 with a degree in finance and furthered his education at the University of Illinois with a master's degree in technology management.