GM hirings boost NBA’s numbers on diversity
The moment made the NBA feel proud. The moment also made the NBA admit its shortcomings. While the NBA halted its season during the novel coronavirus, the Bulls (Marc Eversley), the Nuggets (Calvin Booth) and the Pistons (Troy Weaver) all hired Black men to fill their general manager spots. But in a league that has a predominant amount of Black players, there are only nine Black general managers among the league’s 30 teams.
“There is no doubt there is more we can do internally, the league and our teams and in terms of our hiring practices,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said Friday on a conference call. “The league needs to do a good job, in particular, when it comes to hiring African Americans at every level in the league. It’s something we have been focused on with our teams.”
The issue does not just involve the amount of Black people working in the NBA’s front offices. It involves the league’s overall diversity. There are 11 Black head coaches. There are 11 women assistant coaches, and zero in the head coaching ranks. There is one Latino general manager. There is one Black NBA owner. When the NBA and its players union discussed how to resume the season for the past three months, they did not just talk about the health and safety measures. One of those issues involved the league’s hiring practices. The NBA extended those conversations in its most recent board of governors’ meetings with the owners.
“It’s something we’d both like for Adam and for the league will continue to have discussions about that,” said Thunder guard Chris Paul, the NBPA’s president. “The league is predominantly African American players. So you’d like to see more people higher in executive positions. The league has told us, and it’s up to us and the players and union to hold them to that to make sure more people of color and women continue to keep being in these executive roles all throughout the league.”
Silver said NBA officials have talked with the G-League to create more opportunities for women and people of color so they can develop into entry-level roles that will prepare them for the NBA. Those in NBA circles have often talked about the need for aspiring coaches and front office members to enthusiastically pursue entry-level jobs (video coordinator, scouting) and networking events so they can sharpen their skills, increase their exposure and improve their job interviewing presentations.