It’s no surprise that the National Basketball Association is valedictorian to major American sports leagues when evaluating fairness in hiring and diversity practices.
The NBA received an A+ for racial hiring practices and a B+ for gender-based hiring practices, earning an A overall, according to an annual study by the Institute for Diversity and Ethics in the sports from the University of Central Florida. [TIDES].
While the NBA tops the NFL, MLB, NHL and Major League Soccer every year [MLS]the league improved its overall rating in 2022 through the hiring of head coaches.
People of color now own 50% [15] NBA head coaching positions because seven of the eight head coaching vacancies last offseason were filled by black or African-American men.
The percentage of people of color among general managers has increased from 40% in the 2020-21 season to 50% last season. At the start of the 2021 season, there were 12 general managers of color.
Last season, 82.4% of players were people of color, the haze of all professional sports leagues in the United States
The NBA also excels in front office diversity by race and gender.
Women occupy 43.4% of professional positions in the NBA, and the categories of team vice president and senior team managers have seen respective increases, reaching 30% and 39%.
Four African-Americans hold the position of general manager and/or president of NBA teams. Fred Whitfield (President, Vice President, Charlotte Hornets), Cynthia Marshall (CEO, Dallas Mavericks), Koby Altman (President of Basketball Operations, Cleveland Cavaliers) and Masai Ujiri (President and Vice President, Toronto Raptors).
And there were six women in one of those positions: Matina Kolokotronis (COO, Sacramento Kings), Jeanie Buss (CEO, Los Angeles Lakers), Gillian Zucker (President of Business Operations, LA Clippers), Marshall (Dallas), Mel Raines (Executive Vice President of Corporate Communications, Community Engagement and Facility Operations, Indiana Pacers) and Gretchen Sheirr (President of Business Operations, Houston Rockets).
Michael Jordan is the only majority black governor/president of an NBA franchise, the Charlotte Hornets.
Vivek Ranadive, originally from India, is President, CEO and Governor of the Sacramento Kings. Joe Tsai, born in Taiwan, is the majority governor and president of the Brooklyn Nets. Marc Lasry, born in Morocco, is governor of the Milwaukee Bucks team.
There are three women who are the main governors of the team. Jeanie Buss is the governor of the control team and CEO of the Lakers. Gayle Benson is the principal governor of the New Orleans Pelicans. Jody Allen is the majority team governor of the Portland Trail Blazers.
Richard Lapchick, director of TIDES and lead author of the study, said the improved ratings and overall NBA score were achieved “despite the fact that we used a higher standard of measurement for race because which we have changed to reflect the 2020 census for the first time.
“TIDES recognizes that teams are now worth billions of dollars and that the percentage of the population that falls into the billionaire category is not the same as the racial groups represented in the U.S. Census. Nonetheless, that is the yardstick that we use in racial and gender newsletters.
“Despite these areas where there is room to grow, I commend the NBA for its marked improvement over an already stellar record of hiring women and people of color in leadership positions. The NBA sits at the above other men’s pro sports leagues,” Lapchick wrote.
It’s no surprise that the National Basketball Association is valedictorian to major American sports leagues when evaluating fairness in hiring and diversity practices.
The NBA received an A+ for racial hiring practices and a B+ for gender-based hiring practices, earning an A overall, according to an annual study by the Institute for Diversity and Ethics in the sports from the University of Central Florida. [TIDES].
While the NBA tops the NFL, MLB, NHL and Major League Soccer every year [MLS]the league improved its overall rating in 2022 through the hiring of head coaches.
People of color now own 50% [15] NBA head coaching positions because seven of the eight head coaching vacancies last offseason were filled by black or African-American men.
The percentage of people of color among general managers has increased from 40% in the 2020-21 season to 50% last season. At the start of the 2021 season, there were 12 general managers of color.
Last season, 82.4% of players were people of color, the haze of all professional sports leagues in the United States
The NBA also excels in front office diversity by race and gender.
Women occupy 43.4% of professional positions in the NBA, and the categories of team vice president and senior team managers have seen respective increases, reaching 30% and 39%.
Four African-Americans hold the position of general manager and/or president of NBA teams. Fred Whitfield (President, Vice President, Charlotte Hornets), Cynthia Marshall (CEO, Dallas Mavericks), Koby Altman (President of Basketball Operations, Cleveland Cavaliers) and Masai Ujiri (President and Vice President, Toronto Raptors).
And there were six women in one of those positions: Matina Kolokotronis (COO, Sacramento Kings), Jeanie Buss (CEO, Los Angeles Lakers), Gillian Zucker (President of Business Operations, LA Clippers), Marshall (Dallas), Mel Raines (Executive Vice President of Corporate Communications, Community Engagement and Facility Operations, Indiana Pacers) and Gretchen Sheirr (President of Business Operations, Houston Rockets).
Michael Jordan is the only majority black governor/president of an NBA franchise, the Charlotte Hornets.
Vivek Ranadive, originally from India, is President, CEO and Governor of the Sacramento Kings. Joe Tsai, born in Taiwan, is the majority governor and president of the Brooklyn Nets. Marc Lasry, born in Morocco, is governor of the Milwaukee Bucks team.
There are three women who are the main governors of the team. Jeanie Buss is the governor of the control team and CEO of the Lakers. Gayle Benson is the principal governor of the New Orleans Pelicans. Jody Allen is the majority team governor of the Portland Trail Blazers.
Richard Lapchick, director of TIDES and lead author of the study, said the improved ratings and overall NBA score were achieved “despite the fact that we used a higher standard of measurement for race because which we have changed to reflect the 2020 census for the first time.
“TIDES recognizes that teams are now worth billions of dollars and that the percentage of the population that falls into the billionaire category is not the same as the racial groups represented in the U.S. Census. Nonetheless, that is the yardstick that we use in racial and gender newsletters.
“Despite these areas where there is room to grow, I commend the NBA for its marked improvement over an already stellar record of hiring women and people of color in leadership positions. The NBA sits at the above other men’s pro sports leagues,” Lapchick wrote.