Of the 23 general managers NBA teams have hired in the last four offseasons, 18 neither played nor coached in the NBA.

In the 15 years prior, non-coaches and non-players comprised only 33 of the 81 GM hires. 

GMs who were former players or coaches tend to have shorter tenures than GM who were neither.

GMs who never played in the NBA are slightly worse in improving winning percentage, but they inherit better teams. GMs who were players or coaches have inherited teams with an average winning percentage of .410; GMs who are outsiders started working for teams with a .490 winning percentage. 

More outsiders' teams made the playoffs (63 percent vs. 48 percent) in their third year.