TALENT PARTNERSHIPS

We believe in casting a wide net to find the best talent. We provide training to our talent acquisition team and hiring managers on best practices in inclusive recruiting, and we have developed partnerships with organizations like National Sales Network, the National Black MBA Association, The Alumni Society, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, the T. Howard Foundation, Women In Sports and Events and Women in Sports Tech to reach more candidates from traditionally underrepresented groups.

NBA HBCU FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM

The NBA HBCU Fellowship program, led by the NBA Foundation, is a paid opportunity for students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to gain real-life insights and professional experience around the business and operations of basketball. The students work in positions at the league office and NBA and WNBA teams, and are matched with a league or team employee mentor as part of their experience.

DEVELOPMENT

Partnerships with professional organizations such as Women in Sports and Events and the Executive Leadership Council afford our employees opportunities to grow, develop, and expand their networks, and our own NBA University provides programming focused on professional and personal development.

We focus on career development for all members of our NBA family. The NBA Career Crossover Program is designed to help current and former players gain an understanding of the educational and professional development steps necessary to pursue a second career of their choosing. Players can select from a variety of opportunities that educate, expose, and offer relevant experience in a specific area of interest. The programs within NBA Career Crossover include the Basketball Operations Associate Program, League Office Internship, Assistant Coaches Programs, Referee Development Program, Job Shadow Program, and full-time employment opportunities. No matter which path a player chooses, NBA Career Crossover helps a player narrow their focus and being to make progress toward specific career goals.

COACHES EQUALITY INITIATIVE

The NBA Coaches Equality Initiative (CEI) is a partnership between the NBA and NBA Coaches Association (NBCA) to identify and develop top coaching talent, with the goals of growing the number of highly skilled coaches in the NBA and ensuring a level playing field for the development and advancement of all qualified coaching candidates. CEI programs and initiatives include coaching workshops; learning and curriculum highlighting head coach competencies, skill development and executive coaching; networking opportunities at league events, including the NBA Coaches Summit at NBA Summer League in Las Vegas; and the NBA Coaches Database, a comprehensive online resource featuring information on qualified coaching candidates that provides team decision-makers access to accurate information in a single location.