• Loading stock data...
Thursday, April 3, 2025
Nominations Are Open for Front Office Sports Honors! Submit Now

Michael Jordan Among 8 Members of First NBA Foundation Board

  • The foundation was announced in August with a $300 million commitment over 10 years.
  • Active players Harrison Barnes and Tobias Harris will also join the board.
Michael Jordan Among 8 Members of First NBA Foundation Board of Directors
Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

Michael Jordan, now chairman of the Charlotte Hornets, is among the inaugural members of the NBA Foundation’s Board of Directors, the league and NBA Players’ Association announced on Oct. 9.

In August, the NBA board of governors committed $300 million in initial funding for the new foundation to drive “economic empowerment” for Black communities through employment and career advancement. Team owners will collectively contribute $30 million annually across the next decade. 

The foundation will focus its efforts on three critical points in employment — getting a first job, getting a job after high school or college, and career advancement once employed — by assisting national and local organizations that provide skills training, mentorship, coaching and pipeline development in NBA markets.

The other members of the board include Sacramento Kings forward Harrison Barnes, New Orleans Pelicans governor Gayle Benson, Philadelphia 76ers forward Tobias Harris, Atlanta Hawks principal owner Tony Ressler, NBPA Executive Director Michele Roberts, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, and NBA Board of Governors Chairman and Toronto Raptors Governor Larry Tanenbaum. 

Roberts and Tanenbaum will serve as ex-officio board members. Additional members of the league office will serve as NBA Foundation officers to manage day-to-day operations. Deputy Commissioner and COO Mark Tatum will serve as president, President of Social Responsibility and Player Programs Kathy Behrens will serve as vice president, Senior Associate Counsel Matthew Carpenter-Dennis will be secretary, and Global Head of League Finance Heidi Nadler will be treasurer.

 A search for the foundation’s executive director is underway, the announcement said.

The original announcement of the foundation came at a time when the league was grappling with how to effectively demonstrate its commitment to social justice amid its restarted 2020 season.

Ahead of the season, the NBA landed on displaying “Black Lives Matter” on its courts at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, and allowed players to wear an NBA-approved phrase on their jerseys in lieu of their last names. That option didn’t resonate with some players, however — including LeBron James, who has a number of his own off-court initiatives — and other players chose to donate money to the cause themselves. 

Barnes was among those players and announced that he would donate $200,000 to different nonprofits created by the families of victims of police brutality and gun violence. He was named one of five recipients of the 2019-20 NBA Cares Community Assist Award, which entailed a $10,000 donation from the NBA and Kaiser Permanente to the African American Policy Forum, Barnes’ charity of choice.

Players’ frustrations with the league came to a head during the first round of playoffs, when the Milwaukee Bucks refused to play in the wake of the police shooting of Jacob Blake, eventually leading to a new agreement between the NBA and NBPA to form a social justice coalition and work to use team facilities as voting locations. 

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

Featured Today

Dec 27, 2024; San Jose, California, USA; San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini (71) skates during warm ups before their game against the Vegas Golden Knights at SAP Center at San Jose

Macklin Celebrini and the Sharks Rookies Have Brought Good Vibes to a..

The rookie’s arrival has lifted spirits incongruously high inside the struggling franchise.
Mar 26, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) in the first half Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
April 1, 2025

The Creator Behind the LeBron ‘Glazing’ Trend Sweeping TikTok

FOS spoke to TikTok user OkaySpade who made the original song.
Mar 22, 2025; Providence, RI, USA; McNeese State Cowboys manager Amir Khan before a second round men’s NCAA Tournament game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Amica Mutual Pavilion
April 1, 2025

Inside the 24-Hour NIL March Madness Deals

Some of the most viral partnerships come together overnight.
Seattle Kraken
April 1, 2025

Samantha Holloway Is Seattle’s NHL Present—and Hopeful NBA Future

Samantha Holloway is steering the Kraken and hoping to revive pro hoops.

Junior Bridgeman Was the Prototype for Business Success After Sports

He started with Wendy’s franchises, later expanding into bottling, magazines, and more.
Oct 23, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat president Pat Riley addresses the crowd during the Pat Riley Court dedication ceremony at halftime at Kaseya Center.
February 14, 2025

Here’s Where Pat Riley’s Three-Peat Trademark Money Goes

Riley has the phrase trademarked despite having no three-peat of his own.
Feb 12, 2023; Glendale, Arizona, US; A$AP Rocky on the sideline after halftime during Super Bowl LVII at State Farm Stadium.
February 27, 2025

A$AP Rocky Could Be Latest Celebrity Owner in English Soccer

Following his acquittal, the rapper is closer to owning Tranmere Rovers.
Sponsored

How UBS Crafts Impactful Partnerships Across Sports, Arts, and Culture

As UBS continues to expand its impressive array of sports and entertainment partnerships, the company solidifies its position as a leader in wealth management.
Dec 1, 2024; Landover, Maryland, USA; Washington Commanders general manager Adam Peters (L) talks with Commanders owner Josh Harris (R) on the field prior to the game against the Tennessee Titans at Northwest Stadium.
December 4, 2024

CEO Leaves $13 Billion Soup Company to Run Commanders

The new president will lead the planning and development of the team’s stadium.
LPGA Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan after the final round of golf during the CME Group Tour Championship at the Tiburon Golf Club in Naples, Fla., Sunday, November 19, 2023.
December 2, 2024

LPGA Commissioner Leaving After Brief Up-and-Down Tenure

Mollie Marcoux Samaan was hired in 2021.
November 15, 2024

Adam Silver Defends NBA Product Amid Sluggish Ratings

Silver said the NBA compares itself to “the biggest brands in the world.”
November 11, 2024

Endeavor to Sell OpenBet, IMG Arena to Its CEO Ari Emanuel

The move is “a necessary step” as Endeavor seeks to go private.