Kings owner Vivek Ranadivé named to board for the new NBA Social Justice Coalition
Kings owner Vivek Ranadivé has been appointed to the board of the new NBA Social Justice Coalition.
Ranadivé is one of 15 NBA owners, players, coaches and executives who will serve as members of the board, a league source told The Sacramento Bee on Monday, confirming a report from Shams Charania of The Athletic.
The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association agreed Monday to create the Social Justice Coalition, sources said. According to the NBA, the coalition will focus on a broad range of issues, including increasing access to voting, promoting civic engagement and advocating for meaningful police and criminal justice reform.
Charania reported the board will include NBA commissioner Adam Silver, deputy commissioner Mark Tatum and NBPA executive director Michele Roberts; Miami Heat owner Micky Arison, Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, Oklahoma City Thunder owner Clay Bennett and Milwaukee Bucks owner Marc Lasry; Atlanta Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce and Philadelphia 76ers coach Doc Rivers; and Carmelo Anthony of the Portland Trail Blazers, Avery Bradley of the Los Angeles Lakers, Sterling Brown of the Milwaukee Bucks, Donovan Mitchell of the Utah Jazz and Karl-Anthony Towns of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The NBA agreed to create the Social Justice Coalition during discussions with players after the Bucks chose to boycott their playoff game against the Orlando Magic in August following the death of Jacob Blake, who was shot by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin. In a show of solidarity, teams from Major League Baseball, the WNBA and Major League Soccer also decided to postpone games.
The Kings have taken a leading role in the NBA’s social justice movement since 22-year-old Stephon Clark was fatally shot by Sacramento police in March 2018. In 2018, the Kings launched Rally the Vote, a voter registration initiative that now includes more than 50 professional sports teams. In 2019, the Kings partnered with the Bucks to hold the first Team Up for Change summit to promote calls for racial equality and social justice.
This story was originally published November 9, 2020 at 10:30 AM.
