NBA on Top of Diversity Game

Every time I look at the New Orleans Hornets' bench, I can't help but wipe my eyes to make sure that what I’m seeing is real. No, I’m not talking about their roster with several talented players in Chris Paul, Peja Stojakovic and Tyson Chandler. Rather, their coaching staff makes me feel proud to not only see an African-American head coach in Byron Scott but two talented black assistants as well.

When it comes to major men's pro sports, only in the NBA do African-Americans truly have a broad opportunity to succeed. Recently, the NBA’s impressive diversity efforts were applauded in the 2006 Racial and Gender Report Card.

“The report shows that the NBA remains the industry leader on issues related to race and gender hiring practices,” said Dr. Richard Lapchick, the author of the study, a scholar, an author, as well as an internationally recognized human rights activist and a pioneer for racial equality. “The NBA has had the top grade among the men’s leagues for race for all 14 previous reports over nearly two decades.”

The following are some of the key statistics reported by The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport:

• The NBA has 15 percent of its team vice president positions occupied by people of color, which is the highest of any pro sport.

• In the NBA, almost 79 percent of the players are people of color. The percentage of African-American players increased to 75 percent from last year’s 73 percent mark.

• Professional opportunities for people of color in the NBA League Offices—at 34 percent—increased by two percentage points from the previous Report Card. This was the highest percentage in the NBA’s history and the highest in the history of any professional sport.

• Women held 39 percent of the professional positions in the NBA League Office.

• Robert Johnson, who owns the Charlotte Bobcats, is the only African-American majority team owner in men's sports.

• At the beginning of last season, there were 12 African-American head coaches. The NBA continues to have the highest percentage in all pro sports history at 40 percent of the total.

• The 53 African-American head coaches in the history of the NBA are more than twice the number of head coaches of color in any other men’s pro sport. Major League Baseball is second with 25 managers of color.

• At 41 percent, the NBA achieved its highest percentage of assistant coaches of color ever.

• There were four African-American CEO/presidents in the NBA and two additional black presidents of basketball operations during the 2006-07 season. They are the only African-American CEO/presidents in the history of men’s professional sports.

• In the season under review, the NBA had eight African-American general managers, which is also higher than any other men’s professional league in any previous Report Card.

• As of the end of the 2006-07 season, 64 percent of the NBA’s referees were white, 32 percent were African-American, and 3 percent were Latino. The only female referee, Violet Palmer, is also black.

"Based on the total points used in the weighted scales, the NBA earned its highest grade ever for race and its highest combined grade for race and gender ever with an A+ for race and a B for gender for a combined A-," Lapchick said. "This is the first time in the history of the Racial and Gender Report Card that any men’s league achieved a combined A-."

The National Football League, major college football and men’s and women’s basketball and Major League Baseball need to take notice of what the NBA has done.

It’s not about just giving African-Americans an opportunity. It’s not about just hiring someone because he or she is African-American. It’s about giving people of all races and sexes an opportunity. It’s about everyone having a chance to get inside the door and prove that they are the best man or woman for the job.

Racism does play a role sometimes for why this head coach, manager or athletic director or president is hired. Often, people in power may hire someone who is just like him because it’s easy and comfortable. Because most of those in power are white males, it’s no surprise that most of the people running the show in professional and college sports are also white males.

But if all major pro sports, major college sports and even the sports media (in the 2006-07 NBA season, whites filled 75 percent of the radio/TV broadcast posts) had the same mindset as the NBA, the world of sports would become more diverse, more understanding and much better for everyone involved. Most of all, it would be fair if we let the best man or woman of any color win. It would also give all young boys and girls of all colors a sports role model who looks like them and who they can aspire to become.

I applaud the NBA for truly being an equal-opportunity employer. Will the NFL, Major League Baseball, college football, men’s and women’s basketball and the sports media follow? Time will tell. Who knows, maybe one day there will be such a large number of people of color and women on the bench, in the front office, blowing a whistle or doing media interviews that Lapchick’s eye-opening reports won’t be needed any more. Maybe.