Podcast: What can the NBA do with its platform in Orlando?
The NBA has a unique opportunity to address societal issues and introduce league-wide reforms.
The NBA will have an unprecedented stage if and when it resumes operations in Orlando. On the latest episode of “I Love Basketball”, Sabreena Merchant and Anthony Irwin discuss whether the league will take advantage of this stage to enact meaningful change to its operations, both within and beyond the league.
They start with the issues Avery Bradley, Kyrie Irving, and the rest of players coalition have brought to the NBA, including “improved hiring practices for black front-office and head-coaching candidates” and having the league owners and leadership take an active role alongside the players in working with black communities. They then move on to Dwight Howard’s message of solidarity among players and black athletes, specifically giving a voice to those who feel underserved or too intimidated to speak up, and how the players can present a united front to better convey their ideas.
They conclude on a lighter note by discussing some of the more interesting takeaways from the NBA’s 113-page protocol handbook on life in the bubble, including the hotline that players can use to report rules violations. They also ruminate on how the NBA can use this time in Orlando to re-evaluate how they produce and present games on TV broadcasts, given the special circumstances of the remaining games.
You can listen to the full episode below, and to make sure you never miss a show, subscribe to the Silver Screen and Roll podcast feed on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or Google Podcasts.
You can follow your hosts on Twitter at @sabreenajm and @AnthonyIrwinLA.