Top Stories

NBA team social justice efforts

Read more about social justice efforts across the league.

  • Milwaukee Equity League – the Milwaukee Bucks partnered with announced Tuesday a partnership with Microsoft, the Green Bay Packers, and the Milwaukee Brewers have combined forces to form the Equity League, a new impact investment division of venture capital fund TitletownTech with the shared purpose of fostering positive social change in Wisconsin and across the United States.
  • Miami Heat Pledges $3M to WCK – on Tuesday, the Miami Heat and the Micky & Madeleine Arison Family Foundation made a $3,000,000 donation to WCK, which will expand the organization’s Restaurants for the People program in Miami to feed hungry people, to keep local restaurants and their teams open and working, with an emphasis on supporting Black employment in the restaurant industry, and to spur other organizations to donate to the cause as well.
  • Last Thursday, the Atlanta Hawks announced they agreed to refinance the construction loan for the Emory Sports Medicine Complex with a syndicate of Black-owned banks. The $35 million loan marks the first time a professional sports franchise has had a significant loan underwritten exclusively by Black banks. 
  • In honor of Human Right’s Day on Thursday, Dec. 10, Detroit announced their “Pistons Power Humanity” campaign.
  • Boston Celtics United – a multi-focus commitment to addressing racial injustice and social inequities in the Greater Boston area, with an emphasis on combating issues that have impacted the Black community as a result of the nation’s long-term history of systemic racism.
  • Portland Trail Blazers Racial Justice Fundcommitted to fighting racial injustices, racial inequities and racism at a local and national level. An initial donation of $200,000 was split between both local and national organizations fighting for racial justice and police reform. 
  • Warriors Social Equity Plan – will promote racial and social equity, centered around four pillars of action: Wallet, Heart, Feet and Voice. Included an initial grant of $200,000, split equally between Kingmakers of Oakland and Urban Ed Academy in San Francisco.
  • Brooklyn Nets $50M Social Justice Fund – $50M over 10 years for social justice initiatives and community investments that will benefit the BIPOC (especially Black) community, with a priority on Brooklyn.
  • Atlanta Hawks $40 million investment in Black community in Atlanta – Tony Ressler and the Hawks announced a $40M investment to help economically empower the Black community in Atlanta, starting with $5 million to the Russell Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, the largest nonprofit center for Black entrepreneurs in America.
  • Pacers Contribution to the Central Indiana Racial Equity Fund – the Pacers Foundation, Rick Fuson and Karen Ferguson Fuson, were among the founding contributors to a $2.2M Racial Equity Fund begun by the Central Indiana Community Foundation. The multi-year initiative seeks to advance solutions to racial inequality across central Indiana, with a particular focus on improving interactions between Black youth, police, and criminal justice system.
  • Mavericks Take Action – the Dallas Mavericks pledged to listen, learn and unite FW communities to address racial inequities and disparities, promote social justice, and drive sustainable change. The team pledged a minimum $5M investment and 10,000 employee volunteer hours over the next 3 years in Mavs Take ACTION!
  • Lakers and Clippers Joined LA Alliance – the 11 professional sports organizations in greater Los Angeles have joined together to launch The ALLIANCE: Los Angeles, a comprehensive five-year commitment to drive investment and impact for social justice through sport.
  • Miami Heat Social Justice Pledge – the Heat pledged to donate to organizations that are working to eradicate racial inequality, support education initiatives that serve the Black community and help more Black students attend college, provide opportunities to Black students with its company mentoring and internship programs, and more.
  • Sacramento Kings “Team Up for Change” Brings Together Thought Leaders and Community Voices to Inspire Meaningful Change
  • Philadelphia 76ers Commitment – pledged $10 million over the next five years to drive action and invest in the cities where our teams live, work, play and perform. 

Latest