Bears Hire Richard Midgley as Deputy General Manager

The Bears are building up their front office — and they’re bringing in an alum.

Cal men’s basketball is hiring Richard Midgley as deputy general manager, Bear Insider has learned, in a capacity similar to Marshall Cherrington’s assistant general manager role with the football program.

"I'm excited to return to Cal in this role," Midgley said in a press release. "I look forward to working with Coach (Mark) Madsen and his staff, applying my player evaluation experience to support the continued growth and success of the program."

Midgley, who played four seasons in Berkeley (2002-03 through 2005-06) and remains sixth on the program’s all-time 3-point field goals made list with 183, will primarily serve as a scout, talent evaluator and recruiter. He will also help with fundraising.

Spotting talent, though, is Midgley’s thing.

He has scouted for the Nets since 2019 under Brooklyn general manager and fellow Cal alum Sean Marks, with an emphasis on the international landscape. Midgley previously served as a “West Region Scout” with the Atlanta Hawks from 2016-18.

"My time with the Brooklyn Nets, learning from Sean Marks and the front office group there, was incredibly valuable," Midgley added. "The perspective I gained — especially in roster construction and organizational alignment — will stay with me as I step into this role at Cal."

"We are building something great here at Cal, and Richard's role is going to be a cornerstone for that," Madsen said of Midgley. "I have a ton of respect for him and his experience, and I know he is the right fit for our program." 

Midgley, a point guard during his playing days, averaged 10.2 points, 2.5 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 1.0 steals over 115 games with the Bears before a short-lived professional career stunted by injury.

From England, Midgley returns to Berkeley to help Cal build on its 22-12 campaign from 2025, entering Year 4 of the Mark Madsen Era.

"We are so pleased to have Richard back at Cal," Co-Directors of Athletics Jenny Simon-O'Neill and Jay Larson said of Midgley. "There is no one better to step into this new role, which is so important for our men's basketball program.

“This deputy GM position allows our coaching staff to focus on player development, in-game strategy and on-court coaching. Not only does Richard know Cal, he knows the basketball landscape at every level and will be a crucial part of this program's upward trajectory."