Survey: blacks dominate on NBA courts, not off - most NBA front-office executive positions are held by whites - Brief Article

Jet, July 19, 1993

A recent survey revealed a wide racial disparity in the NBA for Blacks and Whites on and off the court.

The survey which was conducted by the Rainbow Commission for Fairness in Athletics found that 78 percent of players in the league are Black and 22 percent are White. But 92 percent of front-office executive positions were filled by Whites and 8 percent by Blacks.

The survey was released in Washington, D.C., and it covered all NBA teams except for the Los Angeles Lakers. "Without exception, every team in the NBA reflects racial and gender discrimination in their front offices," noted Jesse Jackson Jr., the group's national field director and son of the civil rights leader.

"To our knowledge, none of them have an affirmative action plan with goals and timetables. Discrimination is against the law. Affirmative action is the law," Jackson added.

The survey notes that 88 percent of Whites hold administration jobs and 85 percent of the support positions.

Also, according to the survey, 86 percent of local press covering the NBA is White.