Morgan Cato has made history by becoming the first Black woman to be hired as assistant general manager and vice president of basketball operations of the Phoenix Suns, reports ESPN. The move makes her one of the league's highest-ranking women executives.
Cato will work closely with General Manager James Jones and coach Monty Williams on “the leadership and strategy related to coaching development, player engagement, and front-office personnel operations,” the team announced.
"We're excited to welcome Morgan to the Valley and to the Suns' organization," Jones said in a statement. "With the league office Morgan played a pivotal role on countless initiatives to grow the game and strategically develop for it to be played at its best. The addition of her background and knowledge will allow us to elevate our basketball operations in several areas."
Over the past 10 years, Cato has made a name for herself as an NBA executive. She worked in New York under Byron Spruell, the president of league operations, to expand the NBA brand across the globe. Other initiatives she was involved in included officiating development, creating a pipeline for global talent, and the successful launch of the Basketball Africa League.
Cato worked with Fortune 500 companies, such as Ernst & Young and Lehman Brothers, prior to joining the league.
Before losing to the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference semifinals, the Phoenix Suns posted the league’s best record at 64-18 this past season.
