The NBA and National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) affirmed their commitment to racial justice and using the Orlando-area restart as a platform for that cause in a press release on Friday.
Several Boston Celtics players have been at the forefront of that effort both within the NBPA (Jaylen Brown is a vice president and Jayson Tatum has taken a vocal role in working out the terms of the restart according to multiple sources) and more generally with participation in local demonstrations in Boston and Atlanta.
The agreement considers “the goal of the season restart will be to find … ways to address racial inequality across the country,” according to the release.
NBPA Executive Director Michelle Roberts includes Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown on the shortlist of players who have been heavily engaged in the process of getting back to today’s return announcement.
— Jared Weiss (@JaredWeissNBA) June 26, 2020
The NBA will also emphasize internal work in the league to ” increase Black representation” in the NBA and “ensure greater inclusion of Black-owned and operated businesses” in the league.
There is to be foundation to augment “educational and economic development opportunities” in the wider Black community as well.
“We have worked together with the Players Association to establish a restart plan that prioritizes health and safety, preserves competitive fairness and provides a platform to address social justice issues,” related NBA Commissioner Adam Silver in the release.
“Our platform in Orlando presents a unique opportunity to extend the ongoing fight against systemic racism and police brutality in this country,” agreed NBPA Executive Director Michele Roberts. “We will continue to work with our players and the League to develop specific plans in Orlando as well as long-term initiatives to bring about real change on these issues.”
Teams will begin arriving at Disney’s NBA Campus July 7th through the 9th, and the season itself will start July 30th after several weeks of ramping up training in the interim.
Silver says the Board of Governors is creating its first foundation in partnership with the players to drive social change.
“The world’s attention will be on us in Orlando…The hard work is just beginning and we should be judged on what we get done in the next couple years." https://t.co/5RqBjAB4vj
— Jared Weiss (@JaredWeissNBA) June 26, 2020
That the league has found a way to leverage the restart as a tool for moving closer to racial justice is commendable, though the proof will be in the longer term results.
The success of any such venture internally will require the will to see Black persons in positions of power at the highest levels of the league, and not just token coaching and assistant positions with a wink and a promise advancement is on the table.
The outward facing initiatives will depend on partners in civil society and governance holding up their end as well. But if there is a professional U.S. sports league capable of generating real progress both internally and in the wider world, it is the NBA.
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